


Stranded

by AShyBunni



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Alternate Universe, Death, Drama, F/M, Friendship, Romance, Tragedy, Violence, semi-novelization
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-14
Updated: 2019-04-13
Packaged: 2019-04-22 14:53:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 12
Words: 84,926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14311119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AShyBunni/pseuds/AShyBunni
Summary: AU: The Killing School Trip actually had seventeen participants.  The seventeenth student?  Hikari Seishin, SHSL Spirit Medium.  Was she a killer, victim, or survivor?





	1. To Be Alone is Despairing

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the Danganronpa series. I only own Hikari Seishin, my OC, and her family.
> 
> Note: This story is centered mainly towards my OC, but the perspective will change from time to time throughout the tale.
> 
> The following are works and people who helped inspire this story. I thank them and give them credit for working hard on their creative projects that helped me shape mine:  
> "Danganronpa 2 Let's Play" by NicoB (YouTube)  
> "This World" by TalentlessHuman (AO3 (under the danganronpa category))

Hikari Seishin wasn’t sure what to think about this. She thought she walked inside Hope’s Peak Academy. She thought that walking inside the prestigious school was the first step towards a more hopeful future not just for her, but for her family too. However, the teenage girl stood in front of a classroom door surrounded by darkness. That’s all she did for what seemed like an eternity, standing and staring at the door as if it would answer all her questions. Well, it might be able to if she didn’t just stand there like an idiot and just open the door! Hikari felt all her thoughts were forming in slow motion.

_Stop being moronic and hurry! I need to go in the classroom! I don’t want to be the last one!_

Hikari’s hand reached to the door handle slowly.

_Wait…need? I need to…open the door…?_

Her hand paused for a brief second.

_Either way, I have to hurry in…_

Hikari grasped the handle and slowly opened the door. She closed her eyes as a sudden bright light hit her. Once she opened her eyes, she found herself in a classroom of eleven other teenagers. She felt self-conscious as she sensed all their eyes fixed on her.

“Ooooh! Another pretty girl!” a pink-haired boy cried out. “I knew coming here would be awesome!”

“Shut up, Souda-san! Do you have to get excited when any female classmate comes in?” the redhead of the group sighed in exasperation.

A huge intimidating young man quickly ran to the classroom door behind Hikari. Unfortunately for him, the door was closed by the time he reached it. He tried with all his might to open the door. “RRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAARRRRGH!” Everyone including Hikari watched silently as the only noise heard from the door was the rattling of the handle, the door seemingly immovable.

“Perhaps the door can only be opened by the outside?” a young woman with a bamboo sword strapped over her shoulder pondered, her crimson red eyes staring at the door. The muscled man walked uncomfortably back to where he was in front of the classroom but still relatively close to the door.

Hikari glanced at him. _He seems to be uncomfortable...maybe he needs to use the bathroom?_ She turned to look at everyone and everything in the room. _Seventeen desks…At least I’m not the last one here…it would be embarrassing if I was late…_ Suddenly, Hikari felt her face redden as everyone looked at her expectantly.

“Well, aren’t you going to introduce yourself?” a portly young man asked with an intimidating look.

Hikari blushed more out of embarrassment. _H-he seems rich…and bossy…_

The girl sitting at the desk next to the redhead smiled gently toward Hikari, as if knowing Hikari needed assurance. “Hello, my name’s Nanami Chiaki. I’m the SHSL Gamer,” she said gently.

Hikari smiled shyly and bowed slightly, her oval red-rimmed glasses sliding a little down the bridge of her nose. “Nice to meet you all…My name’s Seishin Hikari…SHSL Spirit Medium.”

An excited gasp escaped the lips of a blonde girl, her eyes lighting up like stars. “A Spirit Medium in our class! This will indeed be an interesting year!”  
The gothic-looking boy in the back of the class peered towards Hikari, his scarf covering the lower half of his face. “This female mortal might have some astral powers that I could use in future rituals…”

The girl closest to her smiled nervously, her left arm covered in bandages. “I h-hope we g-get a-along, S-Seishin-san…”

Hikari smiled and nodded, slowly feeling comfortable as the rest of her classmates entered the room, introducing themselves and chatting about what they hope to accomplish during their time here. This gave Hikari some time to center herself and get rid of the lingering nerves.

_I came here as the Super High School Level Spirit Medium. The two requirements to be able to enroll into Hope’s Peak Academy are to be a high school student and to be extremely skilled in a talent…being the best at what they do…I don’t think I am the best…but I have been publicly known throughout Japan as the girl who can communicate with ghosts and can even channel spirits through rituals._

_My family isn’t exactly rich…sometimes we struggle to put food on the table, especially when we know we have medical bills to pay. My older sister, Kotone, was the SHSL Violinist. She was talented in music, fluent with the piano as well as being vocally adept, but Hope’s Peak scouted her for what she most skilled in: playing the violin. However…when I was seven years old…when Kotone was beginning her time at Hope’s Peak…she passed away from Leukemia… By then, I was already beginning to hone my talent, being able to see and communicate with ghosts since I was a very young child—my mother believed I just had imaginary friends the whole time until I channeled my first spirit…Kotone. Ever since then, my parents supported my decision to continue to learn about communicating with the dead, my family getting the chance to interact with Kotone from time to time. I have appeared a couple of times on television, but I really only did public appearances for my family’s sake. My family’s funds, which included money earned from Kotone’s musical performances, quickly dried up from my sister’s hospital visits, treatments, and eventually funeral services. I wanted to help out; I contributed by making a few public appearances and acted as a liaison between the living and the dead, even spirit channeling a couple of times._

_A lot of people make the mistake of believing that I can do other things related to the occult, but that isn’t true at all. I don’t read tea leaves or read palms. I don’t have tarot cards or a crystal ball. I just communicate with spirits…only spirits…_

With that thought in mind, Hikari noticed something no one ever could; Hikari was not currently accompanied by any spirits…at all. A wave of panic washed over her as she glanced around frantically, trying to keep her composure at the desk she sat near the back of the classroom. Hikari was never alone for as long as she remembered, she always had at least one or two familial spirits by her side whether it be her sister or even deceased distant relatives. Hikari’s heart raced as she felt blood drain from her face, her bangs covering her eyes slightly as she leaned forward. Hikari could have sworn she felt two sets of eyes from opposite sides of the room looking at her. She gripped the hem of her dark magenta suspender dress, the skirt cutting off mid-thigh. Her knuckles turned white, contrasting greatly to her dark purple nails, freshly painted a couple hours before her arrival.

Just when she thought she would have a full-blown panic attack, the sound of a door reached her ears. Looking up, Hikari’s heart skipped a beat, her dark blue eyes staring into light brown eyes. A young man wearing a plain white shirt and green tie was standing in the doorway. Compared to almost everyone here, he seemed…normal. 

Luckily, the newest arrival broke the panic attack spell on Hikari briefly. She closed her eyes and took a couple of deep breaths to calm herself. _I’m okay…I’m not hurt or in danger…I just can’t sense ghosts for the first time in a while…It must be because of my nerves…I just need to relax…they’ll come back._

Hikari blinked as the last student walked by her desk and sat in the empty seat behind her. The young girl looked a bit puzzled, staring at the desk in front of her. _What is this feeling? Do I…know him? I don’t remember ever seeing him before…but why do I feel this strange feeling in my chest when I see him?_ Hikari put her arms on the desk and placed her head on top of them, her emotions overwhelming her for the time being. She could hear her classmates starting a group conversation.

“Discuss?” the boy behind her asked the rich young man.

 _His voice is even comforting…_ Hikari slowly spaced out, thinking that maybe clearing her head would result in her spiritual companions to return.

“Well…since you were the last student to arrive, let’s start the discussion,” the blonde young man, Togami Byakuya, responded matter-of-factly.

 _Mmm…so there are seventeen students in this class…_ Hikari nodded in agreement, confirming her first thoughts when she noted that there were seventeen desks in the room.

Hikari didn’t fully pay attention to the topic of conversation at hand, but knew it had to do with her class being locked inside this room for some reason. She wasn’t really in the mood to join the conversation so just listened to the discussion as background noise.

“It sure is strange,” Koizumi Mahiru said thoughtfully. “Nobody actually remembers how they came here…” The redhead blinked and then looked at Byakuya offended, her hands on her hips. “Hey! What do you mean, ‘stupid-looking’!?”

Byakuya ignored her question and continued the dialogue. “The moment you stepped foot onto the campus, you felt a strange dizziness, and now you’re here but you don’t know why…That is what I experienced before I arrived here. Am I correct in assuming that’s true of all of you?”

Hikari stared at the blackboard, looking deep in thought. _That is true…I really don’t remember much after I arrived at the front gate…_

The SHSL Spirit Medium felt herself slowly zoning out again when her classmates talked about the locked door and how they were all locked in there until she heard a high-pitched voice come out of nowhere. Everyone looked around the room for the source.

Byakuya looked a bit annoyed. “What was that just now?”

The SHSL Yakuza sneered at the other blonde male. “Hey fatass…Why did you make that cutesy sounding voice all of a sudden?”

“I won’t dispute your blunt remark about my weight, but I can assure you what you heard wasn’t from me.”

Akane raised an eyebrow. “Then…who was it?”

The high-pitched voice chimed in. “Um…it’s mine!”

Nekomaru spun around, taking a defensive stance and bellowed, “Who’s there!? Where are you!?”

Chiaki looked towards the front of the classroom and pointed towards the teacher’s podium. “Perhaps…it came from behind the teacher’s podium…” Slowly, everyone’s eyes turned towards the podium in the front of the classroom.

“Hello!” the unknown voice chirped. “It seems everyone is present! Let’s begin!”

Suddenly, there was a flash of purple light above the podium and when it disappeared, a white chubby stuffed rabbit appeared. It was dressed in a pink ruffled skirt, what looked to be a pink bib, a gold necklace adorned with a red jewel and gold wings, and a pink bow tie in front of one of its ears. It also had white wings on her back and in one hand was a fancy pink scepter-like wand. Everyone stood still and stared at it, some students’ mouths were agape at this…phenomenon.

Eventually, Sonia managed to utter a few words. “What…is that…?”

Hikari finally spoke to the class in general, answering Sonia’s question hesitantly. “Um…it looks like a stuffed animal…”

The rabbit answered happily, “That’s right! I’m a squeezable soft stuffed animal.” The rabbit took a pose, standing on one foot. “Magical Miracle Girl Usami...a.k.a. Usami! I may not look like it, but I’m your squeezable soft teacher! Nice to meet you all!”

Hikari leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms and nodded, her eyes closed. “I see, I see…wait…what?” She snapped her eyes open and looked at the stuffed toy. _Teacher!?_

Some of the students talked among themselves about this new “teacher.”

“Its mannerisms and appearance aren’t the issue,” Byakuya stated, his arms crossed. “Based on what it said…” he turned to the stuffed bunny. “It seems you know something about our current situation.”

The bunny hopped a couple of times, smiling. “Of course I do! I’m the lead teacher of this school trip!”

Byakuya looked a bit taken back by the response given. “School trip?”

Usami placed her paws on her belly and smiled towards the ceiling wistfully. “A large group of students go on a chaperoned trip with a lead teacher! It’s the biggest event of the school year!”

The boy behind Hikari mumbled, “We’re not looking for such a literal answer…”

Hikari furrowed her eyebrows. “B-but wait…why a school trip now…? This is only our first day here…Don’t we have an entrance ceremony…?”

Apparently, either she didn’t hear Hikari or just blatantly ignored her questions, Usami lifted a paw and exclaimed excitedly, “Let’s depart for the fun school trip!” The rabbit started waving her wand, which emitted white sparkles and a pink light, filling the room for a few seconds. Then, all of the walls and ceiling started to fold out as if someone was opening a box and flattening the sides around the bottom. The next thing the freshmen saw was a beach. The sun was shining, the sands were white, the palm trees swayed with the gentle breeze. No one could believe what their eyes were seeing. Everyone started to panic.

Usami stood calmly and waves her paws nonchalantly. “There’s no reason to panic!” She had a wistful gaze towards the ocean. “Just look at this beautiful ocean! Doesn’t your heart feel like it’s being washed clean? It washes everything away…even the bad things…”

 _Bad things…?_ Hikari looked at Usami, still not understanding what’s going on. She could hear bits and pieces of her classmates’ comments and questions around her.

“Where are we…?”

“Out by the sea!?”

“Why are we on a school trip all of a sudden!?”

“Yeah…we’re supposed to be attending Hope’s Peak Academy.”

“Hope’s Peak Academy…I see, you don’t say…” Usami blinked at her towering students. “You guys aren’t feeling sure about Hope’s Peak Academy. So, in that case…” She raises both paws in the air enthusiastically. “Please forget about Hope’s Peak Academy! That is why we’re having a school trip in the first place!”

Hikari blinked for the fiftieth time today. “Forget about Hope’s Peak?”

Fuyuhiko clenched a fist and glared at the stuffed rabbit. “What the hell do you mean!?”

Byakuya appeared troubled but still having an authoritative air about him and asked forcefully. “What are you? What are you scheming!?”

For the first time, Usami looked nervous, cowering a little. “I’m not scheming a-anything! I’m doing this for everyone’s sake!” She started to slowly recover. “I’m praying from the bottom of my heart that everyone grows hope inside their hearts.” Usami smiled happily as if nothing fazed her a few moments ago. “There’s nothing dangerous on this island whatsoever so there is no need to worry about anything at all!”

Nagito looked curious. “‘Island’? So we’re on an island?”

Usami twirled and clasped her wand with both paws. “Ta-da! Yup, and it certainly is a beautiful island! It was prepared just for us…away from danger and other people!”

The unintroduced boy looked at Usami with a raised eyebrow. “It’s uninhabited?”

Nagito took a step back, looking worried. “Could it be…that you brought us to an uninhabited island to make us kill each other!?”

Usami jumped in surprise, looking horrified. “Hwa-wa!? K-kill each other!?” She vehemently shook her head. “Not-uh! No way! Causing violence or inflicting pain is a big no-no on this island! Even the word ‘kill’ just upsets me!” She cowered again, her paws on top her head, tears appearing in her eyes. “Kyaah! So scary…!”

Byakuya clenched a fist, feeling frustrated. “Well, what do you intend for us to do during this ‘school trip’?”

Once again, Usami jumped up with a paw in the air in her usual bubbly manner. “Ta-da! I shall announce it to everyone right now! While you are relaxing on this island, you must get along and strengthen your bonds together! That is the main rule of this heart-throbbing school trip!”

And, once again, everyone looked at Usami in shock.

“What did you just say!?” Byakuya asked, stunned. “…‘Heart-throbbing school trip’?” There were a few students who had pink dusting their cheeks, Hikari included.

“That’s right!” Usami nodded in affirmation. “Spend these relaxing days nourishing hope, free from pain and suffering…This lovey-dovey heart-throbbing school trip is…everyone’s homework!”

The normal-looking boy still had a pale color to his skin since he arrived in the classroom. Hikari could have sworn he turned even paler once they all realized they’re on an island. “What the hell does that even mean!?” he shouted.

Usami brushed off any unwanted questions yet again. “Let the school trip begin!”

Hikari then heard an abrupt thud. She turned around and some students looked worried as they see the mystery student on the ground unconscious. Mikan rushed over to him and checked all his vitals.

“H-he’s okay…he j-just fainted…p-probably from shock…” Mikan smiled weakly. “This is all p-pretty overwhelming…”

Hiyoko blew a raspberry, grinning. “Maybe just for you and a couple of losers, pig barf.”

Mikan whimpered apologetically. “I-I’m s-s-sorry!”

Hikari went to the fallen boy and grabbed his arms. She looked around and stared at Nagito, the closest boy nearby. “Hey, can you help me move him to some shade?”

The Luckster blinked. “Sure.” He went to the boy’s feet and gripped his ankles. The two slowly lifted him up and moved him under the partial shade of a palm tree.  
Mikan smiled gratefully toward them. “Thank you, H-Hikari and Nagito! T-That was a good idea to avoid him g-getting sunstroke.”

Hikari plopped down next to the sleeping boy, starting to feel overwhelmed herself as Usami was passing out electronic handbooks to everyone. The bunny carefully placed one in the boy’s pocket before starting to explain the school trip rules and what was contained in the handbook. Hikari barely processed the new information Usami was giving. She grasped her thin silver necklace chain, feeling a weight in her chest. Hikari never was away from her family, living or dead. She felt stranded, surrounded by strangers on an uninhabited island. This was the first time she ever felt true loneliness, and she did not like it one bit.


	2. Chapter Two - The Feeling of Uselessness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the Danganronpa series. I only own Hikari Seishin and her family.
> 
> Note: I try to make the story as canon as I can with obvious creative liberties.

A gentle breeze rustled the trees of Jabberwock Park as Hikari sat on one of the benches situated around the park’s square where the island’s statue stood.  Byakuya was nearby but both teens were content to be by themselves, lost in their own thoughts.  Hikari looked down at the small pile of gems on her lap.

 _Usami called them “Hope Fragments,” right…?_   Hikari held one by her finger and thumb, raising it towards the sky, light hitting off the small blue crystal-like jewel.  Just thinking about Usami reminded the Spirit Medium about being on the beach a short while ago.  Hikari frowned as she reminisced the awful sensation of realizing she was really alone in a spiritual sense.

^o^ ^o^

“So please collect as many Hope Fragments as you can!  You are all free to explore the island!” Usami said happily as she finished her long lecture about the school rules and how to use the electronic handbook.  Then, just as magically as when she appeared, Usami disappeared.  It took a few moments for the high schoolers to recover from the bizarre encounter with their supposed teacher.  The more socialite teens started chatting with each other about what to do and those who would be labelled as a “loner” or an “adventurer” began to walk off on their own.

Once Hikari snapped out of her trance of hopelessness, she realized the beach was deserted besides Nagito, the unconscious boy, and herself.  She turned to her right to see the boy was still asleep but gaining a bit of color back to his face.  Hikari mentally questioned why she felt a wave of relief when she saw the boy’s recovery but pushed that aside when she glanced up slightly to see Nagito standing nearby, leaning against a palm tree.  He was facing them, hands in his pockets.  Once he noticed Hikari’s stare, he smiled cheerfully.

“Oh, I’m sorry if I was staring.  I was a little concerned about you when you didn’t move with a blank look on your face.  I thought you might have gone into shock as well.”

Hikari smiled weakly and looked towards the gentle waves.  “…Maybe I have…this…is very overwhelming…” _Especially when I can’t use my talent…_ She started to feel miserable again at the thought of that.  The situation she found herself in didn’t panic her as much as what seemed to be a loss of her ultimate talent and the feeling of safety from the spirits of her family and friends.  The girl frowned as she watched the water.  “My talent…somehow I cannot use it…I sense no spirits anywhere…”

Nagito smiled assuredly.  “I don’t think that means you lost your talent.”

Hikari glanced at him, her eyes losing their spark.  “I always…always have sensed spirits around me as long as I can remember…this has never happened before.”

Nagito looked taken aback when their eyes met.  _Is this…despair…?_ Nagito thought to himself, shivering a little.  However, he swiftly recovered and smiled optimistically once more.  “Don’t give up!  You just need to have hope.  I’m sure that you will be able to use your talent again soon.  This whole situation could be what is interfering with that.”

The bespectacled teen looked at him silently and slowly got up, dusting sand from her skirt.  She did not want to tell him that she couldn’t use her gift in the classroom either.  She stretched her arms out before saying, “I’m going to explore the island, okay?  I need some time to myself.  Is he going to be all right?”  Hikari eyed the sleeping mystery boy as Nagito beamed.

“I believe so.  I’ll stay here with him.  I already talked with everyone else and gathered some hope fragments.  You should do the same.”

“Hope Fragments?” Hikari asked as a small chime came from the electronic handbook in her pocket.  She blinked and reached in her pocket and felt a small object along with her handbook.  She took out the object and held it on her palm, looking at the light blue gem.

“That is a Hope Fragment.  We are supposed to collect them as our assignment, remember?”

Hikari nodded slowly.  “Vaguely…”

“Well, I’ll see you later!  Hopefully this guy here will be awake and able to meet you too.”  Nagito waved at Hikari as put the Hope Fragment back in her pocket and set off to learn about her surroundings.  The Spirit Medium also hoped that while exploring she could find some spirits who have lived here and give her some comfort that she’s not helpless.

^o^ ^o^

Hikari sighed as she put the Hope Fragments back in her pocket, having talked with almost everyone on the island.  Jabberwock Park was her last destination.  She learned a few things while walking around.  There were a total of six islands here, five islands connecting, via bridges, to a central island which she is currently at.  The students only had access to two islands so far: the first island where the class arrived and the central island.  Four of the bridges were blocked off so that students wouldn't get lost according to Usami. 

There wasn’t much of anything on the central island besides the park.  The first island had different kinds of buildings there: a hotel and restaurant with seventeen cottages, a pool situated between the cottages and the hotel, an airport where there were engineless airplanes, an animal ranch, and a supermarket that seemed to have anything and everything one can think of.  Upon exploring the different facilities came the realization that Usami was right about there being no people around.  That also included dead people, much to Hikari’s dismay.

 So, here was where Hikari ended up, on a park bench feeling depressed at losing her sense of self since her talent was what she identified as like most Ultimates did.

 “So…this is a park…”

 Hikari jerked her up instantly and gazed at the entrance.  _I know that voice…_   To her surprise, she saw Nagito and the unknown classmate.  _Looks like he’s okay.  That’s a relief._   She quietly watched the two boys talk and walk over to Byakuya.  Hikari frowns, feeling a pang of jealousy towards the boys who seemed to be surrounded by the sun’s rays, basking in how easily they can become friends while she was alone on an empty park bench in the shade.  The only real friends she can remember were the spirits that were around her.  Sure, living people were polite and kind toward her, but it was the kind of courtesy that she could tell was shown in order to get something out of it.  Hikari knew people were friendly to her just to use her powers to talk to their dead loved ones.  That was all she was good at.  Who would want to be a friend with a meek looking little girl who had spirits following her around?  She heard the rumors in middle school.  _Cursed…Followed by evil spirits…Witch…Pushed a bully down the stairs using a spirit when the idiot tripped over his own feet…_

“Hey, Seishin-san!” Nagito called out as he puts his hands around his mouth to make sure it carried to her from his spot across the square.  Hikari snapped out of her self-pity to see Nagito leading the mystery boy over, their conversation with Byakuya apparently over.

“Are you all right?” the brunette teen asked her, a bit concerned.  “You seem down…”

Hikari felt her cheeks grow warm and shook her head, smiling weakly.  “Yeah, I’m okay.  It’s just…this is a lot to take in…”

Nagito smiled at the other male.  “This is Hikari Seishin, SHSL Spirit Medium.  She’s known for seeing spirits and even channeling them.  She was on TV a couple of times demonstrating her powers by mediating conversations between the living and the dead.  I heard one nonbeliever doubted the validity of one such appearance and Seishin-san squashed those accusations by telling her that her dead mother was ashamed of her cheating on her husband.  That woman immediately shut up because she never told a soul about the affair.”  Nagito chuckled a bit.

Hikari fidgeted a little, embarrassed.  “It…wasn’t that great…”

The other boy smiled kindly at her.  “My name’s Hinata Hajime.”

She blinked after a few moments of silence.  She pushed her glasses closer to her eyes.  “…And your talent?”

Hajime smiled nervously.  “W-well about that…”

“He doesn’t remember,” Nagito interjected, wearing his usual cheery smile.

Hikari looked surprised, glancing from Nagito to Hajime.  “O-oh, I’m sorry…that was rude of me…”

Hajime waved his hands.  “No, no.  It’s all right.  You wouldn’t have known.  Plus, it’s normal to ask a classmate from Hope’s Peak Academy about their talent.”  Hajime still seemed troubled from not remembering his talent.

Nagito grinned.  “That reminds me…Seishin-san, were you able to recover your powers?”

Hikari jolted from her seat, feeling more embarrassed.  “Komaeda-san!”

He blinked.  “Was it supposed to be a secret?”

The Spirit Medium sighed.  “No…but I don’t think it’s your place to disclose that information…”

Nagito smiled sheepishly, a hand rubbing the back of his head.  “My apologies…I was just trying to say that you two have something in common of sorts…the inability of use of a talent.”  At this statement, both Hikari and Hajime looked downcast.  Nagito sweatdropped.  “Don’t worry!  I just know that you’ll both regain your use of your talents!  Never give up on that greater hope!”

Hajime nodded slowly, feeling better.  “Thanks, Komaeda-san.”  Seeing Hajime’s spirits lifted somehow made Hikari feel better.  Hajime blinked, as if he just remembered something.  “Oh!  Komaeda-san told me you helped me out when I went unconscious.  Thank you for that.” He extended a hand out towards the smaller teen with a grateful smile. 

Hikari blushed and nodded, taking a hold of his hand, shaking it shyly.  “I-it wasn’t just me…Komaeda-san helped…”

Nagito grinned as he waved a hand nonchalantly.  “But you took the initiative, Seishin-san.”

Hikari smiled a bit.  _His hand feels so warm…and strong…_   A familiar sound rang out from her e-handbook in her pocket as well as from Hajime’s.  Hikari reluctantly let go of Hajime’s hand as they checked their e-handbooks.  “I think I got a Hope Fragment from everyone.”

“Same,” Hajime said, nodding.

*Ding dong, bing bong*

Hajime looked around, confused.  “Was that a school bell just now?”

Nagito pointed across the square, close to where Byakuya was standing.  “Hinata-san, Seishin-san.  Look at the monitor over there.”  The monitor was displaying static for a brief moment before Usami was shown sitting on a big comfortable armchair.  The three teens walked over and joined Byakuya in front of the monitor.  Byakuya had his arms crossed, glancing at them in acknowledgment before resting his eyes on the monitor.

“This better be important…” Hikari heard him mutter under his breath.

Usami appeared to be very excited.  “Congratulations, everyone!  It seems that everyone has collected all the Hope Fragments!”  She rubbed an eye with a paw.  “I’m…I’m so happy…”  She sniffled a little before continuing.  “Soooooo…I prepared for everyone a present that will make you all veeeeery happy!  Sorry for the trouble, but may I have everyone please gather at the beach?”  The rabbit clapped her paws.  “Tee hee hee!  May shining hope be with you all!”  Then, the screen turned off on its own.

Nagito turned to his classmates.  “What to do…she said to meet at the beach.”

Hajime frowned a little.  “Is that…going to be okay?  I’m starting to get a bad feeling about this…”

Hikari looked towards the ground, weighing out the pros and cons of listening to Usami.  Byakuya scoffed and headed to the park’s entrance.  “I’m going…only to learn what information the others have acquired from their exploration.  I could care less about what the stuffed animal has for us.”

The three skinnier teens glanced at each other and followed him.  _He sure has a lot of confidence…_ Hikari walked a couple of steps behind the boys.

About thirty minutes later, all seventeen students met up at the beach on the first island, the remnants of the classroom they were in just a couple of hours ago were gone.  Hikari was a bit concerned about that.  _How did that disappear like that…?_ She looked around.  _And how come no one seems perturbed by it…?_

Byakuya stood visible to everyone, his arms crossed, his posture screaming “authoritative.”  “Now, this is our only chance to deliberate between ourselves before the rabbit returns.”

Hiyoko raised both arms in happiness.  “Hahahaha!  Let’s talk then!”

Byakuya stared at everyone with mild interest.  “Let me hear everyone’s initial impressions of the island.”

The group of students took turn reporting what Hikari learned from her own exploration.  She listened to each report only to confirm her own discoveries about the uninhabited island.  Once everyone finished, Byakuya frowned, unimpressed.  “All of you are fools…I cannot believe that no one mentioned the most serious truth.”

Chiaki tilted her head in curiosity.  “…The most serious truth?”  Everyone glanced at each other with puzzled expressions with a couple of them shrugging their shoulders.

Byakuya sighed.  “Then you all are bigger fools than I thought.”

Fuyuhiko clenched his fists and glared at the Affluent Progeny.  “What did you say, you fat bastard?  Don’t go talkin’ all big and shit!”

Byakuya stared at the Yakuza intimidatingly.  “Small dogs shouldn’t bark so loud.”

Hikari sweatdropped.  _Note to self, do not cross paths with the two blonde guys…_

Before that conversation escalated, Hajime asked Byakuya, “What’s the most serious truth?  Did…you find out something about this island?”

Byakuya turned his attention from Fuyuhiko to the rest of the group, his stance facing Hajime.  He was silent at first and then asked a question of his own.  “Have you all gone to see the park across the bridge?”

Hikari blinked.  “Yes…that’s where the bronze statue of the man and animals is.”

The blonde teen looked pensive, pushing his glasses up slightly.  “When I saw it, I remembered a story I heard once…

“There’s a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean, a beautiful paradise where summer never ends…It consists of a central island surrounded by five different islands…It is also said that five holy animals symbolize each of those surrounding islands.  That island’s name is…Jabberwock Island.”

Nagito seemed on edge.  “Could this island be…?”

“Jabberwock Island?” Hajime finished.  “Is that…the name of this island?”

Hikari fingered her necklace absentmindedly.  “That appears to be the case…I mean…there is a sign outside of the park that says ‘Jabberwock Park.’”

Byakuya still looked deep in thought.  “Still…there’s something on my mind.  In fact, according to what I heard, Jabberwock Island is already…”  He paused before turning away.  “…Never mind.”

Nekomaru shook his head, his hands on his hips.  “Hold on right there!  That’s a rather incomplete story you just told us.”

“No need to shout.  I will explain more once I’ve obtained more information,” Byakuya said a matter-of-factly.

Akane shrugged, looking carefree.  “Meh, I don’t care that this island’s called…It doesn’t change the fact that we all have to live here, right?”

Ibuki jumped up and down animatedly.  “Yahoooooo!  Living together on this island is going to be so exciting!  I’m super looking forward to it!”

Kazuichi gave a thumbs up, grinning.  “Hey, this ain’t a bad school at all!”

Hajime frowned, looking at his classmates.  “Hey guys…?”  Hikari glimpsed at Hajime, completely understanding how Hajime was feeling, but there was nothing they could do to get back home to their families, right?  Why stress out over something out of their hands?  Plus, Hikari was hoping her inability to use her powers was due to stress; as a result, she was very slowly coming to terms that she’s stuck on this island for now.  Everyone seemed to be doing the same, accepting that they were on this island and to make the most of it.

Hajime was still unconvinced.  “Are you listening to what you are saying?  We need to stay calm and think about this…!  We’re all here to attend Hope’s Peak Academy, right?  But now, we’re on this island instead…no matter what, this is completely weird!”

“Why don’t you stop talking for a while?  Go cool your head off or something,” suggested Gundham, his arms crossed and eyes closed.  Hikari sweatdropped again.

_How is he comfortable wearing all those dark layers…?_

Teruteru stated, “Even if we wanted to leave, there’s no way that we can…”

Kazuichi nodded in agreement.  “There are no ships, and the planes are just for show…”

“From what I’ve learned, there doesn’t appear to be a way to contact the outside world, either…” Peko pointed out.  “In conclusion, it would be impossible to call out for help.”

“Um, then why don’t we just swim home?” Akane asked as if that was the most obvious answer to their problem.

Mikan whimpered, “It’s impossible…!  There’s no way we can swim that far…!”

Nekomaru roared at his classmates.  “SHOW SOME SPIRIT!!!”

Mahiru has her hands on her hips, very annoyed and unfazed by Nekomaru’s outburst.  “Are you stupid!?  I’m telling you, it’s impossible!”

Hajime looked at a couple of palm trees.  “Then…what if we cut down some trees and make a raft…?”

All of a sudden, Usami appeared out of nowhere, looking at Hajime sternly.  “You can’t do that!  That’s the biggest of no-nos!”  She calmed down and explained further.  “Please recall the guidelines of the school trip.”

Hikari took out her e-handbook and looked at the rules.  “Oh…”  She read the school rule out loud.  “‘Littering is not allowed.  Let us co-exist with this island’s beautiful nature in mutual prosperity.’  So…cutting down trees is a form of littering…”

Usami nodded, smiling.  “I want everyone to get along and to live peacefully on this beautiful, tropical island.

Hajime made a face, frustrated.  “What’s with these rules?  Who cares about that…!?”

Byakuya glanced at Hajime.  “That’s enough.  This rabbit seems to be rather finicky about these so called rules.  Based on that, what if your reckless actions place everyone in danger?”

Usami lifted her arms in panic, looking terrified.  “Hwa-wa!  The word “danger” is a bit much!  I would never do something like that!”

Hikari looked at Hajime empathically.  “Hinata-san…I understand how you feel, but…”

Nagito smiled next to him.  “Please calm down a little, okay?”

Mikan stuttered nervously.  “F-For now…we don’t…s-seem to be in d-danger…as long as we…d-don’t do anything w-weird…”

“Yup,” Chiaki agreed.  “As long as we gather all the Hope Fragments, we can all get off this island soon.”

Hajime frowned, exasperated.  “You all are just going to believe that…?”

“There’s no other choice but to believe…for now,” stated Byakuya straightforwardly.

“Hey!  Hey!”  Ibuki shouted, looking around Usami eagerly.  “Usami, what is this present you mentioned in your announcement earlier?”

Usami jumped in surprise.  “Hwa!  That’s right!  Of course I didn’t forget…!”

Hikari looked at her, deadpanned.  _She totally forgot…_

The rabbit pulled out seventeen mini Usamis out of nowhere.  “Love! Love!  This is it!  Don’t be upset!  I’ve made sure that I prepared one for each of you, so don’t worry!”  Everyone took one and looked at it silently.

Nagito was the first to break the awkward silence.  “What is this…?”

Usami giggled enthusiastically.  “Teehee!  It’s an Usami strap!  If you squeeze the tummy, it talks!”  She went to Nagito and squeeze the stomach of the mini Usami.

“I’m Usami…Magical Miracle Girl Usami.  I’m an itty bitty girl who’s sweet like milk!” the small Usami chirped in an even higher pitched voice than the original’s.

Usami smiled, feeling so proud.  “Isn’t it cute?  Love! Love!”

Byakuya sighed, irritated.  “…What a waste of my time.”  Even Ibuki looked disappointed.

“Aww…and I got my hopes up, too…”

The only ones who didn’t seem deflated were Chiaki and Hikari.  Chiaki looked a little confused.  “Really?  I think it looks pretty cute.  Especially how its ears look like a rabbit’s…” 

“Tada!  Usami does mean ‘rabbit,’ you know!” Usami declared.  Hikari looked at the Usami strap and couldn’t really argue its cuteness.  To Usami’s dismay, the Usami straps ended up on the beach, the students tossing the straps there once they were handed to them.  The white rabbit gripped her magic stick, upset.  “Hey!  You can’t taint the beach with trash!”

Ibuki did a finger gun pose.  “See?  Even you think they’re trash…”

Usami bent down and picked up the straps with tears in her eyes, looking heartbroken.  Hikari frowned, feeling bad for the stuffed animal even though she did kidnap everyone and put them on this island.  The girl discreetly put the mini Usami into her pocket before catching Chiaki’s eye.  Hikari froze, embarrassed until she realized Chiaki was smiling at her, putting a strap in her pocket as well.  Hikari felt a wave of relief and smiled back at the Gamer.

“…And I even prepared one more present for everyone but I don’t want to give it to you bad kids…” the rabbit sobbed, holding the straps in her arms.

Peko looked at Usami.  “Hm?  You have something else?”

Usami nodded, her ears flopping back and forth.  “Um…well, compared to the Usami straps, it’s not that big of a deal…I’ve prepared a motive for everyone.”

“A motive…?” Hajime asked hesitantly.

Usami turned to Hajime and smiled happily.  “Yes!  A motive for everyone to get along!  We’ve come all this way to a tropical island, so I thought we can do something island-themed.”

Akane grinned, a hand on her hip.  “Like what?  Throwin’ some kinda big party or somethin’?

Usami lifted up her arms in excitement, the straps flying everywhere around her.  “Ding ding ding!  Cooooorrect!”

Sonia clapped her hands, star twinkling in her eyes.  “Is it a festival?  Perhaps a miniature shrine?  How wonderful!”

Hikari glanced around to see almost everyone getting pumped up for the party.  Honestly, she felt a bit drained from being emotionally overwhelmed.  She just wanted to take it easy for a while.

Suddenly, Usami grabbed two bags out of nowhere, yet again.  “I have swimsuits for everyone!  They’re school swimsuits actually.  I hope that’s all right!”

Hajime still seemed wary of this situation.  “Are you telling us to go swimming…?  In a situation like this…?”

Usami looked apologetic.  “I’m not ordering you guys to go swimming.  This is just if you wanna go swimming…”

“There’s no way I’m going swimming!” Hajime shouted.  He closed his eyes, arms crossed.  “There’s no way anyone would be so thoughtless as to go swimming in a situation like this…!”

“Yahoooooooooooooooo!” Ibuki screamed, grabbing a swimsuit and ran off to get changed.

Hajime opened his eyes, dumbfounded as he saw some of his classmates take a swimsuit.  “Eh…?”

Hikari yawned a little and saw Chiaki was headed to some shade under a couple palm trees, looking sleepy herself.  Hikari followed her quietly and stood near her as the Gamer sat down and leaned her back against one of the trees.  Hikari rubbed the sleeve of her purple long sleeved shirt shyly, looking to the side.  “Nanami-san…?”

Chiaki yawned loudly, a hand covering her mouth.  “…Yeah…?”

“Mind if I join you..?  I’m pretty exhausted myself…” Hikari asked nervously.

The pink-haired girl smiled gently.  “Sure.”

Hikari blinked and stared at her.  “Really…?”  Chiaki nodded and patted the ground next to her, her eyes closing with another yawn, not even bothering to cover her mouth this time.  Hikari smiled and sat down and leaning against the tree next to Chiaki’s.  Hikari watched some of the students have fun in the water, slowly feeling at ease.  She watched Gundham make a sandcastle for his four ha—Dark Devas of Destruction before she gathered the courage to speak.  “Nanami-san…I just…thank you for keeping the Usami strap.  I thought I would be seen as a total weirdo…being the only one who kept theirs…”

Chiaki opened her eyes and smiled at Hikari.  “I really liked it too.  I wasn’t planning on throwing it away.”  She raised a finger as if to make a statement.  “Plus, it would be against the rules for littering.”  Hikari couldn’t help but let out a few giggles before they both heard a chime from their e-handbooks.  The two girls smiled at each other, knowing this friendship will definitely be close.

Hajime looked at the group of teens swimming, seeing Nagito having fun.  Then, he scanned the beach and saw that Hikari was not going to back him up on telling everyone that this was not the time to relax either.  He took a deep breath and allowed himself to give in.  “Fine…I just gotta do it, right?”  He nodded, looking determined.  “Then I’ll do it!  That’s right!  I’ll do it!” 

Hikari opened one eye and smiled towards Hajime as she watched him ask Usami for a swimsuit and turn to the people in the water before closing her eye again.  _Good…I’m glad he’s going to have fun too…_

At that moment, Hikari didn’t feel the sun hitting her closed lids but darkness.  She opened her eyes to see that the sun has disappeared and the blue skies turned grey and the clouds black.  “W-what’s going on…?” she asked out loud to no one in particular.  Hikari could see the worry in Chiaki’s face as they stood up and walked to Usami to see if she knew what was happening.

Usami looked up at the sky, looking very nervous.  “Wha-wha-wha…!?  What is this!?”

Hikari looked confused as did Hajime.  “Huh?” they both said in unison.

“I didn’t do anything!  What is all this…?”  Usami seemed to be panicking.  “There’s no way!  Something like this shouldn’t be happening!”

The monitor turned on abruptly, static filling the screen with a hazy silhouette in the center.  Another high pitched, though a bit masculine, was heard through the monitor’s speakers.  “Ahem!  Mic check!  Mic check!  Can you hear me?  Can anyone hear me?”  Hikari felt a strange feeling when she was listening to this cheery, yet laidback voice, a sense of dread filled her body.  Somehow, she knew this wasn’t a good thing, that this voice would cause something terrible.  She could feel her body grow tense with anxiety as it continued to speak.  “Surprised?  You were totally surprised!...Riiiiight?” the voice laughed in glee.  “Now then, sorry to keep everyone waiting for so long!  Let’s ditch all this worthless entertainment behind…because it’s time for the main attraction!  Hurry on over to Jabberwock Park!”  Then, the screen shut off.

Usami looked nervous.  “Could it be…?  This voice…!  If it is…this is very bad!  I have to do something!”  She gripped her magic stick and glared off in the distance with resolve.  “It’s all up to me!”  With that, she vanished.

Hikari looked around at those who opted out of swimming.  “What…just happened?”

“It seems…that was an unusual occurrence…” Byakuya replied.

“It’s best…if we go too…” Chiaki said, concerned.  “Jabberwock Park, was it…?  Let’s hurry.”  Hikari nodded slowly and followed her new friend, the dreadful feeling in her chest growing stronger.


	3. Hope Vanishes When Monokuma Appears

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the Danganronpa series. I only own Hikari Seishin and her family.
> 
> Note: I try to make the story as canon as I can with obvious creative liberties.

When all the Ultimates arrived at Jabberwock Park as instructed, they only saw Usami running around, gripping her magic wand tightly.  She was on alert, looking everywhere in the park.  “W-Where are you!?  Where are you hiding!?” she shouted out at what appeared to be nobody.

The students were a bit confused, Hajime voicing their puzzlement.  “Hiding?  Who are you talking to?”

“Pupupupupupupu!”  Laughter rang out throughout the park, sending shivers down Hikari’s spine.  Without thinking, she took a step closer to Hajime.

Even Usami was shaking a little, but her voice was clear and strong.  “Hey hey!  Where are you?  Show yourself!”  The laughter grew more intense before a half-white, half-black stuffed bear popped up from behind the statue.  It plopped its bottom on the pedestal of the park’s only decoration, staring at the teens eerily.

 _What…is that…?  It’s like Usami, but…not…This bear…is very creepy…only psychopathic children would love this thing…_   Hikari blinked and glanced towards Hiyoko, sweatdropping.  _Somehow, I won’t be surprised if she likes this disturbing stuffed animal...she seems like a psychotic child…based on my interactions with her…_

^o^ ^o^

Hikari walked onto the ranch grounds, seeing the smallest of the teens squatting down and looking at the ground.  Curious, Hikari walked over to her.  “Saionji-san, what are you doing?”

Hiyoko turned to the Spirit Medium.  “Deciding whether to squish these ants with my feet or hands…”

Hikari sweatdropped.  “How about you don’t?  They didn’t do anything to you.”

Hiyoko blew a raspberry, looking smug.  “Oh, you’re one of those goody-goodies…” She stood up and looked at Hikari with an intimidating stare.  “You’re such a boring four-eyed ghost who fails at looking like a Goth.”

Hikari bit the edge of her lip before rolling her eyes.  “Whatever…you just want a rise out of me…”  She turned and headed off to inspect the barn.

The taller girl heard Hiyoko retort.  “That’s right…!  Walk away since you’re a wimpy doormat who doesn’t fight back!  I hope you get squished like these ants!”

A small chime rang from Hikari’s pocket and she felt a Hope Fragment materialize against her e-handbook.  Hikari sighed softly and mumbled, “Really…? I got one for socializing with this childlike psychopath?”

^o^ ^o^

“Why, hello there!  Thank you all for waiting!” the bear said gleefully.  The white half of the bear seemed like a regular white stuffed teddy bear; the black half’s side of the face was where the element of terrifying was obvious.  Instead of a black beady eye, it had a red robotic lightning-esque shape cut out for its eye, and that half’s mouth was in a constant toothy grin.  “Long time, no see guys!”

 _What is that supposed to mean…?  This is the first time I ever saw this thing…_   Hikari was pretty sure everyone else was thinking the same thing from looking at their perplexed expressions.

The bear continued talking.  “I am Monokuma!  The headmaster of this academy!”  It stood up on its feet.  “Ahem!  Now that I made my dashing appearance, the first thing I need to say is…”  It raised its arms up and looked upset, its visible teeth appearing sharp.  “…lame!  This is so friggin’ lame!  Lamer than the lamest lamesauce!”  It then looked aroused.  “Lamesauce?  Is it tasty?”

No one knew what to do or say to this stuffed animal which seemed to be having a conversation with itself.  Usami walked towards Monokuma.  “Hey!  It was just as I thought…it was you!  But…how…?”  She started freaking out.  “Why is Monokuma here!?”

Monokuma spun towards Usami, upset again.  “Shaaaadup!  I’m livid, you know…I’m about to barf because of your lukewarm attitude!”  It lifted its paw which showed sharp claws and Hikari swore she saw a vein ready to pop on the white half of its face.  “Just what is with this ‘heart-throbbing school trip’ crap!?  I’m bored!  So hopelessly bored!”  The bear stamped its feet, continuing its tantrum.  “This ain’t fun at all!  So you better knock off this stupid farce already!”  It calmed down slightly and began talking as if to someone who didn’t know better.  “You have to make this, you know…meet the demands of the world.  Nobody wants to watch high school students living boring and peaceful lives.  What everyone wants to see is…”  It grinned menacingly.  “Other people’s misery…and despair…”

The group looked at the bear warily, the athletes of the group getting in defensive stances.  Usami stepped in between them and Monokuma, her eyes never leaving the bear.  “Be careful, everyone!  Stay back and leave this to me!”  She glanced back.  “I don’t know why Monokuma is here, but as long as I have this magic stick…”

Suddenly, Monokuma pounced onto Usami.  “Yah!  Opening!”  The two stuffed animals rolled around and wrestled each other, dust clouds forming around them.  From what Hikari heard, it sounded that Usami was losing due to her pleas for Monokuma to stop.  Once the dust settled, Monokuma towered over Usami, its foot breaking her magic stick in two.  “Dun-dun-dun-dun!  Victory!” it declared, its arms crossed and looking very arrogant.

Usami cried out, visibly shaking and her wings missing.  “Noooooo!  My magic stick!”

“Now then, what to do after my flawless victory…”  Monokuma leaned forward to Usami.  “First of all, you’re way too plain.  White rabbits are faaaar too plain.  Sooooo……” it grinned evilly.  “I’m going to make you in my image! Pupupupupupu!”  With that said, Monokuma grabbed the defeated rabbit by the ears and began to wrestle with her again, another set of dust clouds covering the two.  “This is what happens when you defy me…I’ll crunch ya!  I’ll bite ya!  I’ll rip you apart!”

“Kyaaaaaaah!  Stooooooooop it!” Usami screamed painfully.

After a few minutes, the dust cleared.  The next thing the teens saw was a proud looking Monokuma standing near Usami who was in the image of Monokuma.  Her white fur wasn’t completely gone, but was only covering half of the rabbit, the other half being a light pink.  The eye on the pink half of Usami was now red and her outfit changed from a skirt to a diaper, belly button sticking out.  Hikari knew that Usami was traumatized by this unexpected transformation.

“Ta-da!  All done!” Monokuma stated pompously.

 “Wha-!?  What is this!?” cried Usami.  She panicked, flailing her arms.  “I’m not supposed to look weird like this!  Change me back to normal!”

 Monokuma tilted its head, looking confused.  “My, my…what this?  Defying your big brother’s fashion sense?  Is Monomi a little troublemaker?”

 _So Monokuma is male…and who is Monomi?  Isn’t it Usami?  And they’re…related?_ Hikari looked at the two stuffed animals, very dumbfounded by all of this.  If her situation before was strange, then what was happening now was even more bizarre.

Usami looked shocked at this revelation as well.  “Big brother…?  Monomi?”

Monokuma smiled, his paws on his stomach.  “Your current position is too wishy-washy, so I’m setting you to be my little sister, Monomi!”  He giggled.  “…Though it’s only an external setting, after all. Pupupupu!”

Usami looked upset, glaring at the two-toned bear.  “Hey!  Why do I have to be your little sister!?”

“Huh?” Monokuma tilted his head again in confusion.  “…Big sister, then?  You wanna be the older sister who got separated at birth?”  He looked to be deep in thought, but that didn’t last more than a second.  “Nah!  That doesn’t feel right…Yup, you’re definitely more like a little sister.”  He glared at her ominously, his sharp claws showing from his paws.  “Soooo, that’s how it’s gonna be…Monomi!  From now on, if you disobey me, I’ll never forgive you!”

Monomi did not back down, still confronting her “big brother.”  “H-hey!  I won’t let you make up your own settings!”

Monokuma took a step towards her and punched her directly in the face.  Monomi yelped in pain.  “Stupid fool!  Do you think you can win against me?” the bear taunted.

“Oww!  It hurts a lot when you punch me!”

Monokuma began to laugh hysterically to see Monomi on the ground, beaten.  “How about that!?  Now you’ve learned your lesson!”

Monomi cowered on the ground, crying.  “If only I had my magic stick, I could have totally beaten that awful Monokuma…”  Hikari wondered how Usami intended to beat Monokuma if she was passionately against violence in the first place. 

_Maybe in a parallel universe…_

Monokuma was starting to calm his laughter down slightly.  “Pupupu!  It’s your fault for leaving yourself open!  Even a one second opening is life threatening on the battlefield.”  The bear cleared his throat.  “Regardless, everyone has gathered.  Now then, as the headmaster, I shall make a formal declaration!”  Monokuma raised a paw in the air excitedly.  “From this moment onward, the killing school trip will now commence!”  He started to laugh once again.  “A school trip where everyone gets along has no stimulation at all!  And it’s so damn boooring!  Nobody wants to play a game like that!  You guy agree with me, right?  Sooooo, let’s begin our killing school trip!”  Monokuma smiled innocently.  “Naturally, you guys are the contestants!”

Hikari felt her insides become a bundle of nerves.  _I would rather do Usami’s school trip over yours any day, pal!_

Monomi got up from the ground, being persistent about her “no violence” policy.  “What are you saying!?  I will absolutely, positively not allow such bloody events!”  Nevertheless, her persistence came with a price; Monokuma swiftly kicked her in the face.  “Ow!  It hurts a lot when you kick me, too!”  Monomi ended up on the ground again but a bit more battered than a few minutes ago.

Monokuma stood over her, paws on his hips.  “Jeez…  Your brain is tiny, Monomi.  How many times do I have to tell you?  Pay attention this time.  Except in manga, the little sister is never smarter than her older brother.”  Monomi trembled and sobbed as Monokuma taunted her.  Once he saw that Monomi wouldn’t interrupt again, Monokuma continued his explanation about the killing school trip.  Everyone was still uneasy about the premise of Monokuma’s school trip, being very uncomfortable about killing each other.  The bear looked at them innocently.  “Well, don’t you think it’s kinda lame and boring that you can’t leave the island unless you all get along?  So I’m changing the rules!”  He started getting excited again which made the Ultimates all the more nervous.  “If you want off this island, you have to kill one of your friends!  And then, make it through the class trial without getting caught!”  He began laughing uproariously.

Chiaki looked concerned.  “…Class trial?”

“That’s right!  The class trial is the real charm of this Killing School Trip!

“Allow me to explain…if one of you gets murdered…the surviving members must participate in the class trial!  At the class trial, there will be a showdown between the blackened killer and the other spotless students.  During the class trial, you’ll present your arguments about who you think the killer is.  The outcome will be decided by popular vote and if you arrive at the correct answer…only the killer will be punished.  The rest may continue on with the school trip.  However…if you choose poorly…then the one who got away with murder will survive, and the rest of you will receive the punishment.  As far as the class trial rules go…that’s all there is to it!

“In other words, if you kill someone and make it through the class trial, you get to live and leave this island.  However, if you are found guilty during the class trial, then you will be punished.”  Monokuma chuckled to himself, his paws covering his mouth.  “Pupupupu, it’s a familiar and simple rule, right?”

 _Not really…_ Hikari stared at the bear, feeling like her body would jump out of her skin at any moment.  _Plus, he keeps mentioning “live” and “survive”…Why?  Is the punishment...?_

Kazuichi scratched his head, looking at Monokuma anxiously.  “You…keep repeating that word ‘punish’ over and over.  What’s with that?”

Monokuma replied emotionlessly.  “Basically…it’s an execution!”  Everyone’s skin color immediately paled.

“Execution!?” Sonia gasped.

Monokuma eeriely watched the teenagers’ reactions as he clarified further.  “The pleasing punishment that follows the class trial!  This is one of the perks of the killing school trip.  Pupupupu, what sort of spine-tingling punishments will we see?  I can’t help it, I’m already getting excited!  There might even be some unique punishments, like impaling you through the head with a Thingamajig Claw!

“So, any method of killing is fine with me.  There are popular ones like bludgeoning, stabbing, strangling, poisoning…to shooting, beating, running over, burning, bombing, slashing, drowning, electrocuting, crushing, cursing…”  The bear grinned evilly.  “Please, choose whichever killing method you prefer.  There’s no time limit, so you can kill as you please…It’s an All You Can Murder Buffet…A theme park of murder…That’s what this killing school trip is all about!”

Hikari could not stop her body from shaking.  She felt so weak showing her fears in front of everyone, but she was not the only person afraid.  Hajime appeared to be in pain, his hand clutching his chest, Fuyuhiko looked extremely pissed off, and Teruteru was deeply in denial.

Mahiru asked a question that floated in everyone’s minds.  “What if nobody ever gets murdered?  Does that mean we’ll never leave this island?”

Monokuma simply shrugged.  “Who knows!?  Anyway, I’d like for you all to go through with this killing school trip in a healthy and positive manner.”

Mahiru looked upset.  “W-wait a minute!  Why do we have to do this!?”

Monokuma tilted his head in curiosity.  “Isn’t that obvious?  There is a reason you all need to kill each other.”

Nekomaru started to crack his knuckles, apparently done with what this stuffed bear had to say.  “Hold on…You’ve been running your mouth for quite some time now…I don’t want to get violent, but if I do, I have no idea what may happen!”

Akane started to feel pumped up by Nekomaru, looking extremely intimidating.  “What, a fight?  Do I need to beat the crap outta that black and white bear!?”

Peko took a fighting stance, a hand reaching for her bamboo sword.  “Who would dare try to kill…?  I’ll put a stop to it, using force if necessary.”  Hikari looked at the three athletes, her chest feeling lighter, relieved that her classmates would not stoop to Monokuma’s level and participate in this nonsense.

Monokuma looked at the ground, dejected.  “Fine, fine…Well, I guess I expected this reaction…”  He glared darkly at the students, showing his claws, his robotic eye glowing red.  “If you guys wanna do things by force, then I’ll have to fight back with a little force of my own…”

Monomi looked very nervous.  “Force?  What are you going to do…?”

Monokuma turned his back to everyone, facing the bronze statue.  “Surge…O gods who dwell between light and darkness…In accordance with our contract, I summon thee now…”  He dramatically turned to the Ultimates, his arms raised, bellowing, “Come forth, Monobeasts!”

 _Monobeasts…? More stuffed animals…?_ Hikari soon wished that were true, for the Monobeasts were way more menacing.  Once Monokuma finished his incantation, the bronze statue started to crack.  Moments later, Hikari was staring at five gigantic robots, all of them having glowing red eyes and threatening auras about them.  Each of the Monobeasts, Hikari noted, was either the man or an animal that made up the destroyed statue, the pedestal now bare.  It seemed this reality was still being processed in everyone’s minds.

“Why…did the statue move?” Mahiru asked, still in shock.

Monokuma chuckled.  “Wrong!  That’s no statue!  They’re Monobeasts!”

Kazuichi screamed in terror.  “M-m-m-monster!!!” 

“Hey!  I just said they’re Monobeasts!”

Hikari was surprised her legs still supported her; she thought she would’ve fell to her knees by now.  All the SHSL Spirit Medium was able to do was stare and gape at what was before her.  The others seemed to be doing that as well.

Mikan cowered.  “This…isn’t real…This is too weird…”

Fuyuhiko stepped back, genuinely looking stunned.  “Am I…having a nightmare or something?”

The only one who didn’t appear to be freaking out was the only one Hikari knew wouldn’t freak out.  Hiyoko giggled, looking at Fuyuhiko.  “Kyahaha!  A nightmare, he says!  He just admitted his brain is a total flower patch!”  If Hikari wasn’t such in a state of shock and anxiety, she would have gladly bonked Hiyoko’s head and to tell her to shut up.

Monokuma looked at the teenagers, annoyed that they weren’t accepting their grim reality yet.  “Unbelievable…You guys sure are a skeptical bunch…If something doesn’t fit within your narrow notions of common sense, you deny it outright…How stupid.  Ignorant cavemen are better than all of you!  Classifying events according to their genre is a disease of the modern age.”

Monomi stood between the students and the Monobeasts.  “Everyone!  Please stay back!  I…I will protect everyone!  Even…at the cost of my own life…I will protect everyone!”  Hikari glanced at the rabbit, still unsure of Monomi’s true intentions for the class, but was accepting that Monomi might not be bad guy after all.  She certainly didn’t want anyone to be killed or executed.  The rabbit was going to protect them even if it killed her.  Hikari could not deny that Monomi deserved some respect.

Hikari blinked.  _Wait…isn’t that what defines Stockholm syndrome?_   She mentally face palmed at her realization.

Monokuma started to dry heave when he saw Monomi’s heroics.  “Your sickly sweet sense of justice makes me wanna puke!”  He raised his paws.  “All righty then, it’s decided!  You’ll be my example to everyone!”

Hikari murmured apprehensively.  “Example…?”

Monokuma’s red eye gleamed before he jumped high into the air, landing on the bird-like Monobeast.  The robotic bird flapped its wings threateningly in front of Monomi.  The rabbit stood her ground despite shaking uncontrollably, tears falling down her face.  The bird’s tail transformed into a machine gun, aimed at the defenseless stuffed animal.  Once Monokuma gave the signal, the machine gun went off, bullets spraying Monomi.  Hikari wanted to turn away, but her body didn’t respond to her mind’s wishes.  A couple of stray bullets flew past the teens, Hikari feeling a sharp cut in the air next to her.  She let out a small sigh of relief.

  _If I stood closer to Hinata-san, I probably would’ve been shot in the head…_ The black-haired girl turned towards Hajime and gasped, her hands to her mouth.  “Hinata-san!  You’re bleeding!”  Hajime stood still as a statue, his skin a sickly pale again with the exception of a cut on his right cheek, a thin trail of blood slowly falling down his face.

Hajime glanced at Hikari briefly, obviously still in shock.  “I-I’m…okay, Seishin-san…”  Hikari looked around quickly for Mikan and frowned.  Mikan wasn’t mentally in a good position to help anyone.  None of her classmates seemed able to even move, all eyes on what was left of Monomi, her hair bow and stuffing scatter on the ground in front of them.  Suddenly, as if reality slapped them across their faces, people began to freak out.  Hikari bit her lip, her heart pounding against her chest as she ripped her sleeves to her elbows.  She slowly and gently placed the rags against Hajime’s cheek to wipe the blood and stop its flow.

“H-here…it’s not much…I hope it won’t get infected,” Hikari whispered, trying to sound calm.

 Hajime nodded silently, still trying to keep himself together amid the chaos surrounding them.

Hikari shivered as Monokuma started laughing again.  The bear looked very satisfied with himself.  “Monobeasts are dreadful weapons of destruction!”  He glanced around and sighed happily.  “Pupupu…That’s right, this is what I wanted.  This feeling of despair!  Giving an example was totally the right call!”  No one moved or even seemed to breathe.  Monokuma burst out laughing again.

When Monokuma finally calmed down, he looked at the terrified group of teens.  “Now then, I believe I’ve made my point…”  He leaned toward them unnervingly.  “Just so we’re clear, you guys can’t defy me.  If you don’t want to end up as fish food, you better not disobey me!  Just so you know, I don’t feel mercy or sympathy.  Cuz I’m a bear, after all!  An excuse like, ‘I got high off this tropical atmosphere,’ won’t work on me at all!  I’ve updated the school rules in your e-handbooks.  So, ignorance of the rules is no excuse, either.  Well, that’s true of any society, really.  Now then…enjoy the remainder of this liberating and harsh school trip!”  With that said, Monokuma and the Monobeasts vanished before their eyes, Monokuma’s laugh still echoing throughout the park.


	4. Wishful Thinking

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the Danganronpa series. I only own Hikari Seishin and her family.  
> Note: I try to make the story as canon as I can with obvious creative liberties.

Nobody dared to make the first move…nobody seemed to have the energy to, either.  After what seemed like ages, Nagito asked in a dazed voice, “Wh-what just…happened…?”

Teruteru trembled in fear, face covered in sweat, continuing to mumble denials to himself.  Many of the others followed Teruteru’s lead when it came to trying to store this experience as an impossible memory.

Byakuya, however, looked deep in thought.  He looked at his fellow peers.  “It’s not…impossible.”  Hikari nodded slowly.  How was she to deny something that sixteen other people witnessed as well?  “Those Monobeasts, or whatever they’re called, are machines.  Thus, Monokuma must also be the same…As long as they are machines…It means someone made them and is controlling them.”

Peko frowned.  “Who could be responsible…?  Why are we in this unexplainable situation…?”

Mahiru nodded, upset.  “Who is it!?  Who!?”

Teruteru continued to sweat in anxiety.  “Aha…ha, c-could be…anyone…Not that I believe t-that, of c-course!  Let’s just stop thinking about this and eat!”

Byakuya clenched a fist, seeing how distressed everyone was.  “No matter how confused or upset you are, I don’t mind.  However, remember this…I don’t know who in the world is orchestrating this but…We don’t need to be cautious of those machines…or even of whoever’s controlling them…More than anything, we must be cautious of…ourselves.”  Everyone glanced at each other warily when Byakuya said this.  The bespectacled male continued to share his thought process.  “Being brought to a tropical island with complete strangers, and ordered to kill each other to escape…That creates fear in our minds, and the desire to escape that hopeless fear…is our worst enemy.”

Hikari glimpsed at Hajime, her hands still on the bloody handmade rags which were placed on his injured cheek.  Their eyes met fleetingly, but Hikari sensed Hajime was looking at her with fear.  She wasn’t certain if he feared her or if he feared his own capability of potential murder.  At the rate this day was going, she was amazed that she didn’t snap due to what was going on plus carrying the weight of not being able to use her talent.  Hikari slowly pulled her hands away.  Luckily for her, Hajime took the hint and took the rags from the girl and placed them against his cut.  The SHSL Spirit Medium couldn’t help but feel her cheeks heat up as their fingers brushed against each other’s.

The park was filled with a tense and awkward silence.  No one wanted to seem suspicious, everyone obviously on their guard.  After a few moments of this uneasiness, people started to leave and go off on their own.  Hikari walked over to the first island, having a particular location in mind.  She wanted to be prepared in the chance that she was attacked by a classmate.  Hikari frowned at the thought, but this was her new reality and no one from the afterlife would be able to help her if her talent wasn’t going to return. 

A chime rang out as the Spirit Medium walked into the empty supermarket.  She roamed the aisles quietly, noticing a couple of familiar faces.  Peko stood by the sweets, looking at shelves of cookies.  Nekomaru was at the coolers, peering through the glass to see the iced beverages inside.  Byakuya walked along the grocery aisles, taking some snacks, inspecting each snack’s packaging.  Hikari walked towards the medicinal section of the store, noticing those present purposefully avoided eye contact with one another.  She looked through the shelves of painkillers, cough drops, tissues, and over the counter multivitamins to find the first aid items.  The raven-haired teen grabbed a little bit of everything: band-aids, gauze pads, adhesive tape, burn spray that contained aloe, disinfectant, and plastic gloves.  She wasn’t quite sure if these would be sufficient enough, but it had to suffice for now.  She walked out, passing by Byakuya, nodding slightly in acknowledgement which, to her surprise, he returned.

 _He’s really not as bad as I thought he would be…I thought he would be a disrespectful jerk.  He’s actually pretty nice and considerate.  He even warned us to be aware of our own potential of being dangerous to the others._   She smiled a little as she walked past the hotel’s gate, looking at the cottages.  _Are these cottages for us or are we to sleep in the hotel?  I should explore the hotel a bit more thoroughly just in case I did miss rooms where we’re all to sleep…_   Hikari walked by the cottages, reaching the pool area.  Hajime sat on a bench, hand still holding the bloody rag, not having it to his cheek but letting it lay on his lap instead.  Hikari hesitated, not sure whether to disturb him but eyed the cut, starting to worry that it might become infected.  She slowly went towards the brunette.  “U-um…Hinata-san…?”

Hajime looked up and saw Hikari holding first aid supplies.  “Oh…hey, Seishin-san…”

Hikari felt nervous, afraid she would make a fool of herself for some reason.  “Uh…so…is it okay if…I dress your wound?”

“Huh?”  He looked at her, confused.  Hikari’s face turned red, Hikari hoping that the darkness of nighttime would hide her embarrassment.  “Oh…!”  Hajime exclaimed, realizing what the girl meant, forgetting that he had a wound on his cheek.  “Sure…” 

Hikari nodded and sat on the bench to Hajime’s right.  She put on a pair of plastic gloves and took the bloodied rag.  “I’ll get rid of this…”  Hajime nodded silently and took out his e-handbook, looking through the new rules.  Hikari gently cleaned the cut with the disinfectant and taped a bit of gauze over it.  She wasn’t sure if the silence between them was particularly awkward, but she didn’t feel as tense as earlier.  There were so many questions running through her head about why she felt so differently towards Hajime.  Hikari wasn’t really one to believe in love at first sight.  She always thought that was just infatuation and held the belief that love comes after knowing the person of interest.  There were some spirits who did defy that logic and she respected that.  _To each their own_ , she always thought.

Once finished, Hikari placed the supplies and rag on her lap, both teens lost in their thoughts.  She glanced towards Hajime and saw that he was still deep in his own world, his eyes still locked onto the e-handbook.  Hikari slowly got up with a soft sigh, supplies in hand.  The young woman walked back to the cottages.  She logically figured out that each cottage belonged to an Ultimate.  _Seventeen students and seventeen cottages._   She scanned the signpost next to the first cottage she arrived at, the one closest to the pool.  _Each cottage has a picture of a student too._   To her luck, she was looking at a pixelated picture of her head.  _Eh…kinda cute…_   She shrugged as she walked to the intersection of cottages.  The cottages lined up on the right of the hotel’s entrance were designated for the girls, and the left side occupied the boys’.  Hikari turned back to her cottage.  Her cottage was situated differently than her female peers; the cottage was behind Mikan’s, the front of the cottage facing towards the boys’ side.

Hikari opened the door to her future sleeping quarters, hoping that there was a lock to the cottage doors since she opened the door so easily.  Her wish was granted when she saw a key laying on top of a small coffee table.  She picked up the key as a school bell rang out.

*Ding dong, bing bong*

The monitor in her room unexpectedly turned on, causing Hikari to jump in surprise.  What greeted the spooked teenager was Monokuma sitting on a wicker chair, a clear and sparkling pool behind him.

“Ahem,” Monokuma began, holding a margarita glass of a light blue liquid, the glass decorated with a little umbrella and garnish on the top.  “Hope’s Peak Academy’s School Trip Executive Committee has an announcement to make…It is now 10:00 p.m.  Nighttime can be confusing…if you’re out at night and you accidently meet a killer, then it sucks to be you!  But if you’re worried about that and can’t sleep, I’ve prepared a cottage on the hotel grounds for each of you.”

 _Wait…but these cottages were here before Monokuma showed up…right?_  Hikari furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.  _Was Monokuma here from the start and Monomi was actually working with him?  This just doesn’t make sense…_   She definitely felt a headache coming on.

“Every single one of you, please feel free to sleep in your own rooms,” Monokuma continued.  “However, before you go to bed, I strongly recommend you lock your doors.  You never know who might be planning to kill you! Pupupupupu!  Good niiiiiiiight~!”

 _Already ahead of you, bear…_   Hikari closed her door and locked it, placing the key in her pocket.  She stood in the middle of the room and looked around.  The blue-eyed girl spotted a full bathroom to the right, equipped with a shower, sink, and toilet.  Her canopy bed was against the west wall, the bedding a simple white.  The monitor and surveillance camera were positioned on the back left corner, the monitor taking the appearance of a television and the camera up on the corner where the wall meets the ceiling.  A decent-sized window was directly opposite to the door and another one was on the west wall, right above her mattress.  To her relief, both windows have blinds and the canopy bed had a sheer white curtain surrounding the mattress.

Even without looking at the signpost, Hikari knew this was her room just from looking at the items decorating her room.  White candles were scattered around the room and a faint scent of incense wafted through the room.  There were also a couple of different colored channeling crystals on the coffee table.  One thing she did not expect was an incantation circle painted in black on the middle of the floor.  Hikari looked at that unamused.  “Seriously…I don’t use magic circles…”  She walked to it, tapping her foot on the black paint.  “Knowing my luck, the paint won’t come off…that bear is clearly mocking me…he could possibly be the one who took away my talent.”  She glared up at the camera, hands on her hips.

“Wrong!”

“AAAAAAAAHHHHHH!”  Hikari jumped a foot in the air, Monokuma having popped out of nowhere behind her.  She whirled around in a rage towards the bear, but kept her distance.  She was well aware of the rules, one of the recently added rules being that she would get punished if she caused harm to Monokuma.

Monokuma tilted his head, a paw to his chin, looking innocent.  “Oh?  Did I scare you?”

Hikari could feel her eyebrow twitch in annoyance.  “What do you want, bear…?”

“Hey!  Show some respect!” he said angrily, looking upset.  A second later, he went back to an innocent tone.  “Though, you are right in that I’m a bear.  Anyway!  I just stopped by to tell you simple little human that you are wrong.  I didn’t take your talent away from you~ Monomi did~” Monokuma grinned impishly.

Hikari pinched the bridge of her nose, closing her eyes.  “Right…whatever…you saying that doesn’t make it true…”

Monokuma’s red eye stared her down creepily.  “But it doesn’t mean that I’m lying either…”  Hikari sighed and was about to tell him off before she heard a couple of screams filled with despair.  She froze, feeling her blood run cold.  Monokuma laughed to himself, his paws to his mouth.  “Pupupupupu!  I can feel it!  The despair!  The killing game is definitely going to begin soon!  Good night, SHSL Spirit Medium~ Sleep tight~ Don’t let a killer stab you to death.”  Laughing, the evil bear disappeared from sight.

Hikari stared at the window, concentrating on nothing else but her sense of hearing.  However, the only sound she could hear now was the faint sound of crashing waves in the distance.  After a few minutes, Hikari walked over to the bed after setting the first aid supplies on the desk in the right side of the room. She emptied her pockets, putting the Hope Fragments in the bedside drawer of the end table.  She placed her key and e-handbook on top of the end table, the mini Usami dangling from a top corner of the handbook.  The tired teen climbed onto the bed and sat on it, cross-legged.  She was determined to try to communicate with the dead, even if it would mean she’d have to stay up all night long.  It definitely wasn’t because she was nervous that someone might try to break in to kill her…definitely not…

*Ding dong, bing bong*

Hikari slowly opened her eyes, not having moved from her spot on her bed.  She yawned loudly as the monitor turned itself on to show Monokuma sitting on his wicker chair, drink in hand.

“Ahem,” Monokuma began.  “Hope’s Peak Academy’s School Trip Executive Committee has an announcement to make…Goooood morning, everyone!  Looks like today will be another beautiful, tropical day!  Now then, let’s show some enthusiasm and make sure we give it our all today!”

Hikari rubbed her eyes and scooted off the bed, shuffling her feet towards the bathroom to get ready for the day.  She stopped by her closet on the way, seeing what choices of clothing she had.  Her face went blank as she saw the same everyday outfit that she wore yesterday.  “Well…on the bright side, I won’t be plagued with indecision on what to wear…”  She grabbed an outfit and brought it with her to the bathroom.

About thirty minutes later, the Spirit Medium walked out of her cottage feeling slightly better from washing up for the day.  She blinked as Mahiru was walking towards the cottages looking annoyed.  Once the SHSL Photographer caught sight of the other girl, her expression softened.  “Oh hey, Seishin-san.  We’ve been looking for you.  Togami-san wants us to have a discussion at the hotel restaurant about something important...but won’t do it unless everyone is present…” Mahiru crossed her arms.  “Souda-san wasn’t there either, so here I am looking for him.  I’ll check his cottage.  You go on ahead.” She smiled.

Hikari smiled back.  “Thank you, Koizumi-san.  I’ll see you in a bit.”  Mahiru nodded and walked towards the boys’ cottages.  Hikari made her way to the hotel restaurant, hearing the group chatter from the bottom of the stairs outside the restaurant’s entrance.  She climbed the stairs to find most of her classmates there, Mahiru and Kazuichi obviously missing.

Byakuya turned to Hikari, frowning.  “You’re late.”

Hikari shrugged a little.  “I didn’t know that there was to be a meeting until a couple of minutes ago when I came across Koizumi-san.  She’s still looking for Souda-san.”

Byakuya grunted softly in response and continued to eat.  Hikari glanced around and saw that Hajime looked much better than yesterday, his cut on his cheek healing nicely.  Hikari plopped down at a small table where there was a good spread of breakfast food.  She sat next to Akane who was stuffing her face as if she never ate before.

Ibuki was sitting across from the black-haired girl, leaning towards her.  “Hey, you okay?  You look like you might become a spirit yourself~”  The energetic girl ignored the boundaries of personal space and poked at the dark rings under Hikari’s eyes, her finger narrowly missing the red framed glasses.  Hikari would’ve been very annoyed if her glasses got smudges.  She hated having dirty lenses.  Yet, at this moment, Hikari was too tired to care about being poked at or having dirty glasses.

Hikari lowered her head on her arms, her arms crossed on top of the table.  “Didn’t sleep.  Had a lot of thoughts running in my mind,” she said, her voice muffled by her arms.  All she wanted to do right now was to close her eyes for a few minutes.

“Hey!  Thanks for waiting!  I brought him!”  Hikari opened her eyes slowly to see Mahiru dragging a terrified Kazuichi into the restaurant.

 _He doesn’t seem the type to be frightened easily…Guess you can’t judge a book by its cover…_ Hikari covered her mouth as she tried to hide her yawn, not paying attention to the banter between Mahiru, Kazuichi, and Hiyoko.

*CRASH! CLATTER! BOOM!*

Hikari jolted, sitting up straight, the loud noises and sudden scream waking her up.

“What the…!?” started Hajime, looking at the floor across the room.  Hikari followed Hajime’s stare to find an unexpected scene.  Mikan was on her back, her legs in the air and bent back over her head.  They were also tied with an electric cord that became unplugged.  Both shoes and one of her knee socks flew off as well.  A few things that were on the table next to her laid on the ground around her such as a glass and a couple of salt and pepper shakers.

“Oh…no no no no no no!” Mikan squeaked.  “I tripped!”

“C-can you even call that tripping?” Hajime asked, stunned.

“How in the world did you end up in such a…compromising position after tripping!?” Byakuya asked, feeling a little embarrassed.

“Well it certainly makes me happy!  I’m veeeeeeeeery happy right now!” Teruteru said appreciatively.

“Nooooooo!  I’m s-so embarrassed!  P-please help me!” Mikan cried out, tears in her eyes.  Hikari got up and walked over, feeling a bit annoyed no one was helping her up immediately but were just standing around and gawking at the SHSL Nurse.

Ibuki smiled and giggled a bit.  “Awwwwwwwwww!  She looks so adorable when she’s embarrassed!  It’s so moe, I’m practically snorting with joy!”  Hikari sweatdropped, not expecting Ibuki to swing that way, but not feeling all too surprised that Ibuki might swing both ways.  Ibuki seemed to be that kind of girl.

“W-we should help her up!” Mahiru shouted as Hikari knelt next to Mikan, unwrapping the cord from around her legs.  Mahiru and Nagito helped Mikan to her feet.

Nagito looked at Mikan with concern.  “Tsumiki-san…are you okay?”

Mikan whimpered softly, holding her head.  “Ugh…My head is throbbing a little, but I’m okay…”  She still looked a bit shaken so Sonia pulled a chair over to her for her to sit down.  Hikari handed Mikan a glass of water and sat next to her.  Mikan smiled weakly and gratefully at Sonia and Hikari.  “T-thank you…” 

Sonia smiled and nodded.  Hikari patted her hand, “Of course, Tsumiki-san.”

“She’s beyond just being a clumsy girl.  That fall of hers was like a magic trick or something…” Mahiru said, sweatdropping.

Chiaki looked confused, changing the subject.  “Anyway…now everyone is here, right?  Then, let’s get going.”  Chiaki rubbed an eye, holding back a yawn.  “Since…I’m getting sleepy.”

Hikari sweatdropped, briefly forgetting that she felt very tired too since she stayed up all night.  Byakuya paused from his breakfast, looking around.  “You’re right…Though I am not quite ready to stop eating breakfast, I should begin my talk. 

“First, I have a question for you all.  That Monokuma thing ordered us to kill each other…So under these strange circumstances, what do you think we need right now?”

“Tch, who the fuck knows?  Get to the point already,” Fuyuhiko said impatiently.

Byakuya stared sternly at Fuyuhiko.  "If you want me to get to the point, you better hurry up and answer my question.”

Akane blinked.  “What do we need?  We need food and sleep, obviously.  Right?”

Nekomaru interjected.  “No…you’ve forgotten about shitting…”  He started getting pumped up.  “Which means the answers are: a good appetite, a good night’s sleep, and a good shit!!”

Hikari sighed to herself.  _Just who are these people I’m stuck here with…?_

Byakuya looked around at the others.  “…Does anyone have a real answer?”

Nagito looked thoughtful.  “Could it be…a bond?”

_A bond…? Like friendship?_

Nagito explained further.  “This is what I believe…As long as the Ultimates work together, there’s nothing we can’t accomplish…”  He looked at everyone with confidence.  “It’s obvious!  You’ll all be able to create a hope that can overcome any despair!  That’s why…if we want to escape this island, we need to promise each other that we’ll work together!”

Hiyoko held back laughter.  “Wow, he held a straight face when he said all that!  How is he not embarrassed?”  Hikari glared at Hiyoko, annoyed.

_What is her problem?  She’s so annoying…_

Nagito looked at Hiyoko sheepishly.  “Ah…just as I figured.  That was kinda lame, huh?”

Hikari frowned, crossing her arms.  “I didn’t think that was lame at all, Komaeda-san.  Saionji-san just likes to bully others to feel good about herself.”  Hiyoko glared daggers at Hikari, but Hikari stared straight back at her, not backing down.  After a few moments, Hiyoko pouted and looked away with an “hmph!”  Hikari rolled her eyes.  _She’s like a little kid…is she really supposed to be in high school?_

Peko closed her eyes in thought.  “However, he does have a point.  That must be why Monokuma is enforcing a rule that will cause us to be suspicious of each other.”

Byakuya smirked.  “I see…That was a pretty good answer.  Since it is impossible to face our enemy as individuals under these circumstances, we must fight as a group…”  His grin disappeared as he became serious.  “However, what we need to achieve that solidarity is not something as easygoing and optimistic as a… ‘bond.’

“Then…what?” Nagito asked.

Byakuya stood up, slamming a hand down on the table, making the whole table and the contents on it shake.  “What we need now is disciplined leadership, provided by an unmistakable leader!”

Nekomaru nodded in understanding.  “I see…Even sports teams need captains, after all…”

Byakuya crossed his arms and looked at everyone in what appeared to be a condescending manner.  “Rejoice.  I shall accept that position.”

 _What a surprise…_ Hikari had a feeling Byakuya would place himself as leader of the group once the mention of a leader came up.

Byakuya continued talking.  “Now then, I’ll wrap up this introduction, and let’s move on to the main question.”

“Hey! Wait just a second!” Mahiru shouted, not liking the idea of Byakuya suddenly becoming the leader of their diverse group.

“…What is it?”

Mahiru placed her hands on her hips.  “What did you just say…?  I don’t care how you excuse it, but you’re being way too forceful!  Deciding to be the leader all on your own…and why does it have to be you, anyway!?”

Byakuya raised an eyebrow.  “Who is more fit to lead other than me?  I am the SHSL Affluent Progeny of the Togami household, destined to stand above all others.”

Mahiru was quickly becoming more agitated.  “S-seriously!  I’m telling you that your attitude is too forceful!”

Nagito stepped in between the two strong personalities to try to diffuse the escalating situation.  “…Please wait, Koizumi-san.  It’s true that Togami-san may be a bit forceful, but given our current situation…I believe it’s a leader’s duty, under circumstances like these, to be forceful to some degree…”

Nagito’s words calmed the redhead down.  “That may be true, but…if we just need someone who can lead people, then even Sonia can…” Mahiru started to say.

Sonia smiled awkwardly.  “No, perish the thought.  I am merely a figurehead.”

Nagito continued to defend Byakuya’s claim as leader.  “Well…he must have the qualities of a leader if he can accept the role under these conditions.”

Mahiru let out a sigh of defeat.  “Well, if everyone’s okay with it…I’m okay with it, too…”

“Then, I guess we’ve made our decision…” Byakuya stated.  “Don’t worry, as long as I’m the leader, I won’t let anyone become a victim.  I will guide you all!  That much, I promise.”

Ibuki giggled to herself, her eyes closed tightly in glee.  “Kyaa!  So reliable!”

Hikari quietly watched Mahiru for a few moments.  _Why does she act so aggressive towards the boys in general…?  Maybe she had a bad experience with a boy?  I should ask her about it sometime…_   She turned her attention to the newly appointed leader.  _I really hope he can back up what he says…That’s a really bold statement…I’m sure Monokuma won’t like that…_

“Now then,” Byakuya tried to start the main topic for what felt like the third time.  “Let’s move to the topic at hand, for real this time…I have something to show you all.”

“…Something to show us?” asked Hajime.

“It’s at Jabberwock Park at the central island…Come, follow me!”  Byakuya commanded as he walked out of the restaurant and down the outside flight of stairs.

Hajime sweatdropped a little.  “J-just as I thought…he sure is forceful…”

Mahiru made an annoyed face.  “Jeez…we may have made a mistake in choosing him as our leader…”  Some of the teenagers mumbled their agreements.  Nevertheless, everyone started making their way out of the restaurant and toward Jabberwock Park.

Hikari walked with Mikan and Nagito, mainly to keep an eye on Mikan because of her head injury.  Nagito smiled at Hikari.  “Thank you, Seishin-san.  No one has ever defended what I have to say.”

Hikari smiled bashfully.  “Bullies really irk me since I’ve been bullied in the past.  I just feel like everyone should feel free to express their opinion…even if they think it might seem silly.  Your answer wasn’t silly at all, though.  I also think we should all work together to figure out a way off this island.”

Nagito nodded.  “And do you feel any better? With your talent?” 

Mikan looked between them a bit confused before resting her eyes on Hikari.  “Are you not feeling well? Oh!  You have such dark circles under your eyes, Seishin-san!  Did you sleep at all last night!?”  She cupped Hikari’s face with her hands, Hikari’s face burning up at the contact.  “You’re burning up!”

“O-only because you’re in my personal space!” Hikari yelled, feeling very embarrassed.  “I’m all right, just tired since I’ve stayed up all night, trying to see if my talent would return if I concentrated hard enough…”  Mikan let go of Hikari, looking confused again.  “Ever since…we arrived on the island…I have not been in contact with any spirits…which is very strange since I have never been spiritually alone for as long as I can remember…”

“Seishin-san informed me about this yesterday when we were at the beach,” Nagito told Mikan.  “That’s how I know.  But you know, you’re lucky, Seishin-san...”  The SHSL Luckster looked at the Spirit Medium.  “At least you know what your talent is.  Hinata-san doesn’t remember his at all.”

Hikari glanced back to see Hajime walking with Sonia and Peko further behind them.  She frowned slightly.  “Yeah…you’re right…I would probably feel worse if I didn’t remember what my talent was…but he’s definitely holding his own…”  Hikari turned to look back at her fellow walking companions as they reached the central island.  To her shock, she saw a Monobeast blocking a bridge to another island.  Hikari felt immobilized as she watched the robotic horse stand intimidatingly in front of the bridge to what was labelled as the “fifth island” according to the sign above.

Nagito gently pulled her hand, urging her to keep moving.  “It’s okay, Seishin-san.  It won’t come after us.  Souda-san said that he found each of the robots in front of the bridges that connect to the islands we don’t have access to.  As long as we don’t try to go across those bridges, we’ll be safe.”  Hikari bit the inside of her cheek nervously, but nodded slowly.  Mikan took hold of Hikari’s other hand, smiling shyly.  Hikari smiled softly, knowing Mikan was trying her best to seem brave for her but felt Mikan’s hand shaking in her grasp as the trio walked past the equestrian Monobeast and through the park entrance nearby.

Soon, everyone was gathered at the square of Jabberwock Park.  Byakuya stood in a central spot of the square, tapping his foot with crossed arms.  “…For skinny people, you’re awfully slow.”

Sonia looked somewhat ashamed.  “Um…It seems…you’re just too fast for us.”

Kazuichi wiped the sweat from his forehead.  “Jeez…I never expected a fatso like him to move so fast…”

Akane looked around half-heartedly, a muffin in hand, some of it in her mouth.  “So…what’s supposed to be here?”

The self-appointed leader stared at the Gymnast as if she lost her brain.  “‘Here…?’  Really…?  Hmph, if you haven’t noticed it yet…then I was right to dismiss you all as idiots.”

Hikari did notice…she just didn’t know what to say out of either exhaustion or shock…maybe both. 

On top of the pedestal where the bronze statue once stood was now home to four black gears spinning diagonally below a huge black sphere.  The sphere looked like it had bear ears on top and a red lightning bolt where the left eye would be, resembling a lot like Monokuma’s head.  The most nerve-wrecking detail about this object was that it had a face…a clock’s face.  It wasn’t a clock’s face per se, but it looked more like a timer.  The face showed two things: how many days were left, and right below that was the actually time counting down by hours, minutes, and seconds.  Hikari read the following, “Twenty-One Days Left…three hours, forty-two minutes…”  _What is this timer for…?  What is it counting down for…?  Is this a bomb?  Why can’t this just be a dream and I have my talent back...I just want to wake up from this nightmare…_   However, Hikari knew it wouldn’t be that simple.  Nothing ever seemed to end up being simple for her.

Days Left: 21

Survivors: 17


	5. Your Presence is Mandatory

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the Danganronpa series. I only own Hikari Seishin and her family.
> 
> Note: I try to make the story as canon as I can with obvious creative liberties.

“It looks like a clock, but something seems off…” Hajime said, uncertain.  His eyes widened as he figured out what was ominous about the black sphere.  “It’s…counting down…!”

“What’s going on?” Mahiru asked, looking confused.  “Was this here when we came last time?”

Nekomaru shook his head with a frown.  “No…I’m pretty sure it wasn’t!”

Byakuya glanced at the timer with a serious look on his face.  “I found it this morning…when I was exploring this island one more time.  It’s unknown…when it was actually placed here…”

“Monokuma must have placed this object…” Peko suggested.  “…What does this countdown even mean?”

“I don’t think anything good if it has to do with Monokuma,” Hikari said, staring at the timer.  “I mean…he wants us to kill each other…so this can’t be good…”

“Could it be…?  It better not be a bomb!” Nekomaru exclaimed.

Kazuichi started freaking out.  “A b-b-b-b-bommmmmmmb!?”

“Not possible,” declared Byakuya.  “If they wanted to blow up the island, they would have done so by now.  There’s no need for a countdown…”

Mikan clasped her hands together, worried.  “Then…why are they counting down?”

Akane finished her muffin and sighed.  “It’s a mystery…”

“A mysterious mystery, isn’t it?” Monomi chirped, standing next to Sonia.  Sonia jumped and screamed in surprise.  As a result, Monomi did likewise.

“M-Monomi!?” Hajime asked in shock.  Everyone was surprised to see a living Monomi after what happened last night.  Hikari could still remember watching the Monobeast’s machine gun shoot holes through the stuffed rabbit.

“Wh-why are you here!?” questioned Mahiru.

“Um…I heard everyone talking while I was patrolling, so I came over…” Monomi explained.

“No, not that…” Ibuki said, poking her two index fingers together.  “Didn’t Monokuma kill you?”

“I see!  So that’s why you were surprised!” Monomi said happily.  She started giggling, her paws covering her mouth.  “Pfft, tee-hee!  You don’t have to worry about that!  After all, I can never die!”

_Never die…?_ Hikari raised an eyebrow, confused.

Gundham crossed his arms, his eyes closed.  “I see…You must be an undead abomination, risen from the foulest depths of the Netherworld by black magic…”  He stepped towards Monomi, grinning, looking excited.  “Do you want me to make you my thrall!?”

“Hey hey…Monomi’s a mechanical stuffed animal, right?” Chiaki pointed out, raising an index finger in the air.  “Doesn’t that mean she can’t die in the first place?”

Kazuchi seemed to have calmed down from the “bomb scare”.  He itched the back of his head, smiling nervously.  “Now that you mention it…she’d only need, like, a spare or something.”

Monomi frowned, tears in her eyes.  “‘A spare’…What a mean thing to say!”

Byakuya turned to Monomi.  “However, you arrived at the perfect time.  There’s something I wanted to ask you.”  He glared down at the stuffed animal, clenching his fist.  “What is the meaning behind this timer and this countdown?  Answer me!”

Monomi blinked, tilting her head.  “Huh?  Countdown…?”  She looked up to see the portentous black sphere.  “Hwa-wa-wa!  What is this!?.....Um…I’m sorry…I…don’t know what this is…”

“You really don’t know…?” Peko asked, arms crossed.

Monomi was visibly nervous, sweat covering her face.  “I’m sorry…I don’t really have a grasp of what Monokuma is up to…”

Hiyoko looked surprised, a finger to her cheek.  “Huh?  You don’t know, even though you’re Monokuma’s little sister?”

“That’s wrong!”  Monomi shouted, raising her arms up in the air, upset.  “I’m not my brother’s little sister!”  Everyone blinked, not sure if Monomi was accepting the role of “little sister” or not.  “All righty…let’s do our best!”  She said encouragingly.  “Let’s kick the evil Monokuma off this island!”

Byakuya looked at her haughtily.  “If you don’t know what the countdown is for, you’re useless to us.  Get lost.”

Monomi shrank into herself.  “Um…Let’s…together…”

“I said get lost…!”

Monomi cowered even more, covering her head with her arms.  “Kyaaa!  I’m sorry!”  She quickly scurried away with tears in her eyes.

Hikari frowned, feeling bad for Monomi.  She was glad she wasn’t the only one.  Sonia said timidly, “Um…Perhaps you are being a little too harsh?  I’m starting to feel sorry for it…”

Kazuichi practically jumped to Sonia’s side.  “Sonia-san!  Can I call you Sonia-san!?  No, I insist on calling you that!”  He placed a hand on his hip, looking after Monomi’s retreating form with suspicion.  “There’s no need to feel sorry for that thing.  She’s obviously working with Monokuma.”

Hikari looked after Monomi thoughtfully.  _I’m not so sure…would Monokuma kill off his own ally like that…?  My intuition tells me to trust Monomi more than Monokuma…_

Fuyuhiko looked as if his patience was just about to run out.  “Hey bastard!  Who the fuck cares about that stuffed animal…?  More importantly, what the hell is that clock?”

“Looks ominous, doesn’t it?” Byakuya queried, looking pensive as he looked at the timer.  “Who put that object here, and how did they do it in just one night?”

“Hmm…I can’t imagine…” said Hajime with a small frown.

Teruteru smiled, still in his world of denial.  “Which means it doesn’t make any sense!  Plus, it’s also deadly.”

“However, that’s not all that’s unimaginable…” the group’s leader started to say.  “This island is full of mysteries that we can’t begin to imagine…For example…how were the seventeen of us brought to this island…?”

Kazuichi frowned.  “I wasn’t trying to think about that since it’s been bugging me too, but…he’s right.  That **is** a mystery.”

“There’s more…Why is Jabberwock Island, which was known for being a popular resort destination, now an uninhabited island?  There’s no sign of tourists or even citizens on this island…”  The blonde looked at Hikari.  “Did you detect any spirits at all when you were exploring?”

Hikari felt her cheeks redden slightly as she sensed everyone’s stares looking her way.  “I…didn’t, no…I’ve been having trouble finding any spirits since we got here…”  She frowned slightly, feeling useless to the group.  Nagito squeezed her hand supportively.  Hikari blinked, forgetting he was still holding her hand.  She smiled weakly at him who smiled back.

“Hmm…is something like that even possible…the island being completely uninhabited?” Byakuya wondered out loud.

Gundham frowned in thought.  “All civilizations are destined to collapse…Nothing begets existence…and existence begets nothing…”

Mikan gasped in surprise.  “So…it collapsed?”

Sonia looked at the flowers on the ground nearby, a finger to her mouth thoughtfully.  “You are right…Society is much like fruit.  Once it matures, it is inevitable that it will eventually rot.  As the economy grows, the private sector stagnates as elders and bureaucrats become more and more powerful…As time passes, this power becomes the status quo, and crushes the seeds of any possible reformation…That is…such a sad trend.”

Mahiru sweatdropped.  “Mmm, I don’t really understand all that, but I feel like the situation here is somewhat different…”

“Maybe the Monobeasts killed everyone on this island?” Hiyoko hinted with a smug face.

Nekomaru stepped back in shock.  “And that’s how it became uninhabited!?”

Byakuya crossed his arms.  “That’s certainly plausible…but we don’t know that for sure.  This mystery remains a mystery, it seems.”

Ibuki looked frustrated.  “Grrrrrrr…!  It’s like everything here is full of mysteries!”

“You’re right…It’s mysteries on top of mysteries…However, since these mysteries are overlapping with one another, I doubt some no name group is behind this…”

Hajime blinked.  “W-what are you trying to say?”

“In other words, this situation we’re in is undeniably the work of some enormous organization.”

Mikan trembled.  “…Enormous organization?”

“Monomi, Monokuma, the Monobeasts…They’re all machines that require major technical skill to operate.”

Kazuichi nodded.  “Plus, they’d need a ton of funding.  And there’s no way those things were made just for the hell of it…”

Byakuya pushed his glasses closer to his face as he continued explaining his theory.  “That organization might be controlling these machines and monitoring the island with those cameras…”

“Then…could those fiends be hiding on the island?” Peko asked.

Byakuya shook his head.  “Not likely.  They’re probably running this from somewhere else.  Somewhere safe.”

“Where would that be…?” questioned Nekomaru.

“I don’t know…Anyway, there’s no mistake that an enormous organization is behind all this.”

Akane crossed her arms, looking at the ground.  “I see, a big organization, huh…I can’t imagine what kinda people they could be…”

“Well, let’s see…There’s my Togami Corporation…Sonia’s Novoselic Kingdom…and the Kuzuryu Clan…It’d definitely have to be an organization as powerful as one of those groups, if not more so.”

Sonia gasped, a hand covering her mouth.  “Huh!?”

Fuyuhiko sighed, a hand on his hip, not looking surprised.  “I’m used to being mistrusted…Do what you will…”

Kazuichi glared toward Byakuya, pointing a finger at him.  “Hey!  Hold on!  I don’t care about you or the Kuzuryu Clan, but I won’t allow you to doubt Sonia-san!  Sonia-san is a hot blonde princess!  There’s a sharp distinction between her and you punks!”

“Yes, yes…Just shut up already, loser…” Hiyoko giggled.

Hikari sweatdropped.  _I hate to agree with Saionji, but she’s right…Souda is starting to act like an idiot…_

“W-whoa…!  Loser!?  Are you talking about me!?” Kazuichi stared at Hiyoko.

Hiyoko looked at him unnervingly.  “It’s obvious from your flashy clothes that you just want to stand out because you’re actually a loser.”  Hiyoko chuckled, grinning.  “It must be hard to make your living in the Lame-ass Loser Industry.”

Hikari’s face deadpanned as Kazuichi was taking a verbal beating.  _All right…too far, Saionji…_

Hajime glanced at Byakuya.  “Hey, Togami-san…Were you serious just now?  About this being related to your family and Nevermind-san’s and such…?”

Byakuya replied, “I’m just using them as an example.  I’m not saying they have anything to do with this.

“But…you’re certain we’re up against a huge organization, right?”

“However…even if such an organization exists…Why would they make us go through something like this?” pondered Peko.

Teruteru ran his hand through his hair.  “Whatever.  How long are we gonna keep talking about this?  Why don’t we talk about something more realistic?”

Byakuya frowned.  “Our enemy’s purpose is still unknown…As long as we find out who’s behind this, we’ll learn their purpose.  So what we must do now is find out who our enemy is.  If we do that, we’ll be that much closer to a breakthrough.  Luckily, according to the e-Handbook, we are free to explore the island…”  Byakuya’s eyes gleamed with determination.  “There will definitely be a clue about the enemy on this island somewhere.  Let’s start looking.”

Akane cracked her knuckles.  “All right!  Let’s get this crap done!”  A moment later, she grinned, unashamed.  “…Uh, what are we looking for?”

Mahiru held back a sigh.  “Akane, were you even listening?  We need to find clues that will tell us who our enemy is.”

“No problem,” asserted Gundham.  “No matter how large this organization may be, they will not be able to stand against us…”  He lifted up one hand as his four hamsters crawled out of his scarf, laying comfortably on a part of Gundham’s body.  “They are destined to fall and turn to ash at the might of my Four Dark Devas of Destruction!”

Sonia clapped her hands, stars glittering in her eyes.  “Wow!  Hamsters came out of your scarf!”  She giggled as she leaned closer towards them.  “Tee-hee!  They are so adorable!”

“What!?” Gundham looked taken aback.  “Adorable…you say…?”  His eyes looked away, his face turning red, quickly trying to cover his face with his scarf.  “…T-Thank you.”  Hikari turned away, trying her best to hold in her giggles, letting go of Nagito’s hand.

Byakuya cleared his throat.  “Anyway, let me just say this.  There’s no time to think about something as foolish as killing each other.  You must do what you have to do.  Observe, speculate, recognize, comprehend.  Even if it seems impossible…just persevere.  But most importantly, follow my lead.  I’ll make sure to return you all to your normal lives.  This is your leader’s order.  Understand?”

Ibuki started giggling like a hyena.  “That’s like, TOTALLY awesome!”

Hiyoko joined in on the giggles.  “That right hand of his is soooo plump.  I’ve got the perfect nickname for him: Ham Hands!”

Byakuya blinked.  “H-Ham Hands…you say…?”  He closed his eyes, smirking.  “Hmph…I never thought I’d see the day when someone called me something like that…”

Hajime looked dumbfounded.  “Huh?  Why aren’t you getting mad?”

Byakuya turned to Hajime.  “Why would I get mad at something as petty as that?  She observed me directly and thought up a nickname.  There’s nothing dishonest about a name like that…”  Byakuya grinned again, saying this more to himself.  “Perhaps…I’ve always yearned for this.  Though it may seem ironic for me to realize that in this particular situation…”

Hikari smiled. _Wow…I think we have picked the right person to lead us.  He’s calm, collected, and very smart._

Nagito smiled at everyone.  “All right then.  We should listen to Byakuya and not waste our energy thinking about pointless things.  It’s true that we’re not in the best circumstances, but it’s also not the worst.  Because we’re not alone.  We have friends we can count on to support each other.”

Hiyoko puckered her lips.  “Seriously?  That sounds so la-”

“Shut it, Saionji,” warned Hikari, giving her a stern look.  Hiyoko stuck out her tongue towards Hikari, closing her eyes.

Nagito looked at the girls shamefacedly.  “No, that’s all right.  I was thinking to myself just how lame I sounded for saying that.”

Hikari sighed inwardly.  _But Nagito’s words really do ring true for my situation…and maybe Hinata’s…I just have to remember that I’m not alone…and that these are my friends…once I get to know them._

When they felt that their discussion ended, the group of teens broke off and went off on their own.  Some of them explored to try to solve the many mysteries of the island and others just relaxed and hung out.  Hikari stretched her arms, yawning with her eyes closed as she walked back to her cottage.

“Hey!  Watch out!”

Hikari froze as she felt someone grab her arm and pull her back.  She let out a squeak as she staggered backwards into something.  She opened her eyes and looked up to find a pair of light brown eyes staring down at her.  The Spirit Medium felt her whole body heat up and thought her heart would explode from beating too fast.  Hikari was basically leaning her back against Hajime’s chest.  _His body’s pretty built…Oh!  What’s wrong with me!?_ Hikari mentally pictured herself slamming her head against a tree for thinking perversely.

“Seishin-san?” Hajime asked, looking a bit confused.

Hikari blinked.  “H-huh!?”

“I said you almost walked into that tree…are you all right?  You seem exhausted.”

Hikari sweatdropped, looking in front of her to find a huge palm tree about a foot away from her before looking back at Hajime. _You should’ve let me run into it with my thoughts the way they are now…_   “Oh…yeah…I was up all night, trying to use my talent…”

Hajime helped the girl stand on her own, smiling emphatically.  “No luck?”

Hikari frowned.  “No…and you?  Did you remember yours yet?”  She instantly regretted asking when she saw the disheartened look Hajime had on his face.

“Not yet…”  The two stood outside the park’s entrance for a minute before Hajime smiled a little, trying to brush off the unnecessary thoughts.  “Would you like me to walk you back to your cottage?  I don’t want you passing out or walking into trees on the way there,” Hajime added jokingly.

Hikari glared at him lightly.  “Ha ha…I’m fine…Are you sure you want to walk with someone who’s ultimately useless?”

He simply countered back.  “Same goes for you.  Besides, it’s the least I can do after all the help you gave me yesterday.”

The teenaged girl smiled knowingly.  “Touché…I appreciate the company.”  The two started walking to the bridge.  “How’s your cheek?”

Hajime itched it gently.  “It’s fine.  I hardly notice it now.  Thanks again for taking care of it.”

Hikari blushed lightly.  “It wasn’t a problem.  I was afraid it would’ve gotten infected if it wasn’t taken care of.” 

They crossed over the bridge to the first island and headed to the hotel grounds.  The walk was quiet, but peaceful.  The only awkwardness between them was when Hikari almost fell face first into the ground twice, the girl having closed her eyes a few times while walking.  Hajime eventually linked arms with her to prevent her from fully collapsing if she did pass out.

Finally, the two reached Hikari’s cottage.  Hikari smiled sleepily as she turned to Hajime.  “Thanks for walking with me, Hinata-san.  I think I can take it from here.”

Hajime smiled and nodded.  “Not a problem, Seishin-san.”  Hikari gave a quick wave and walked in her room, yawning.

Once the door was securely locked, Hikari took a few steps and plopped onto the bed, glasses and shoes still on as she fell into a deep sleep.

^o^ ^o^

*Ding dong ding dong*

Hikari groaned, drowsily reaching for a pillow and placed it over her head as the monitor turned on.

“Ahem!  Hope’s Peak Academy’s School Trip Executive Committee has an announcement to make…” Monokuma’s voice chimed.  “Hello everyone!  The fun time you’ve all been waiting for is about to begin!  I wonder what festivities await you~ …Oops, don’t wanna ruin the surprise!  It was a little ‘meh’ at first, but anyway, please gather at Jabberwock Park!” 

Hikari bolted up, clinging the pillow in anxiety.  “H-has…there been a murder…?”  She felt lightheaded at the thought.  She took a couple of deep breaths.  “It’ll be all right…it’ll be all right…” she mumbled this mantra to keep herself calm.  She made sure she looked presentable from her nap before she left her cottage, locking the door behind her.

A small group of students gathered by the intersection of the cottages.  _Probably thinking that it is best to travel in groups_ , Hikari thought as she approached them.

Nekomaru saw her and grinned.  “Ah!  Seishin-san!  We’re all about to walk over to the park together.  Would you care to join us?”  Gundham, Mikan, and Mahiru were standing by, Mikan smiling happily when she spotted the Spirit Medium, waving shyly.  Hikari waved back with a smile before replying, “Sure!  Why not?”  So the five teens left for the park, wondering what will happen with their second visit there today.

Once they arrived, they found a concert stage set up in the square in front of the timer.  Hikari tilted her head, confused.  “Is he going to give us a concert or something?”

All of a sudden, everyone present at the park heard an excited squeal as Ibuki ran up to the stage, her eyes gleaming with excitement.  “Ooooh!  Ooooh!  I wanna get up there and play!”

Mahiru, being the mother hen of the group, sighed softly as she patted the Musician’s back.  “Not right now, okay?  Maybe some other time, Mioda-san.”

Ibuki fidgeted, trying all her might to contain her eagerness. “Awwwwwwwwwww!”

“…Anyway, it seems everyone is here,” Byakuya said as he scanned the crowd, seeing all sixteen of his classmates in the park.

Kazuichi scowled, “Ugh, what is it this time?  This is friggin’ annoying…”

Fuyuhiko stood off to the side, hands in his pockets.  “Tch, then you shouldn’t have come.”

Kazuichi glanced at the Yakuza nervously.  “Well…I mean…I don’t know what will happen to me if I **don’t** come…”

The shorter blonde male smirked.  “Heh, since none of us knows what’ll happen, maybe you should be the one to test that out.”

Mahiru glared, hands on her hips.  “Hey!  You may talk like you’re tough, wise guy, but you wouldn’t be here if you weren’t scared too!”

“What…!?”

“I guess even a big bad yakuza like you must’ve been scared of that monster, huh?”

Fuyuhiko clenched his fist, glaring daggers towards Mahiru.  “What the fuck did you just say!?”  A vein was visibly throbbing above one of his eyebrows.

Nagito walked in between the two, hands up.  “Wait!  Stop it, you two.  Fighting among friends isn’t good!”

The Yakuza blinked.  “What?  Did you just say, ‘friend’?  I’m not your friend, dumbass!  When did I ever become friends with you bastards?  Let me be perfectly clear…”  He looked at everyone with a sneer.  “…I can do it, y’know?”

A couple of the teens looked at him warily.  Mahiru muttered, “Y-you…what did you say…?”

Fuyuhiko chuckled.  “Oh?  You didn’t hear me?  Then I’ll repeat myself just once for you.”  He gave Mahiru a good, long stare.  “I said…I can do it.”

Hikari frowned.  “Kuzuryu-san!  Please don’t say that…”

Hajime nodded.  “Why don’t you just calm down for a bit?”  However, that just made the gangster more irritated.

“Bastards!  Don’t talk to me like we’re friends or something!  Don’t misunderstand…I live in a completely different world than you…Kill or be killed…That’s the kind of world I live in.”  He crossed his arms and looked away.  “Geez, the current rules make more sense to me than that ‘Play nice and get along’ crap.”

Mahiru, having such a strong personality, did not take this lightly.  She pointed at him in rage.  “What are you saying!?  If you don’t stop it right now…I’m going to get seriously angry!”

Fuyuhiko turned toward Mahiru, pissed off.  “Don’t treat me like a kid, bitch!”  He took a step forward.

Peko closed her eyes, tired of hearing this bickering.  “Please stop.  This kind of fighting will not get us anywhere…”

“Shut the hell up!  There’s no way I’m dealing with this Kumbaya crap!  If any of you guys want to die, step forward…I’ll fuckin’ kill you right now…”

Akane started to grin as she stretched out her arms.  “Sounds fun…Gimme your best shot…!”

Hajime glanced at the Gymnast uneasily.  “W-what’s gonna happen if you’re this easily provoked!?”

“Enough!” Byakuya’s voice boomed.  Everyone stopped and looked at their leader.  Byakuya looked at Fuyuhiko.  “Kuzuryu-san…I understand what you are saying.  I do not intend to dismiss your feelings.  There was a time when I also thought the same way as you…”

Fuyuhiko seethed.  “…Are you treating me like a kid, too!?”

Byakuya continued speaking as though he didn’t hear Fuyuhiko.  “But what would reckless killing accomplish?  If you fail to get away with it, you know you’ll be executed…Or perhaps…that’s what you really want?  If so…You’d only be killing yourself to run away from this predicament.  That’s what a child would do.”

Fuyuhiko’s face paled, unable to retort back.

“Listen!” Byakuya declared, pointing a finger at Fuyuhiko.  “So long as we’re here, I will not let any of you die!  I will not let any of you become a victim!  And that goes for you too, Kuzuryu-san.  I will not let you die!”

Fuyuhiko gritted his teeth in frustration.  “W-What the hell…?  Everything you’re saying…they’re just empty promises!”

Byakuya crossed his arms, smirking.  “It’s true my words would ring hollow if anyone else spoke them…But my name is Byakuya Togami, and I am destined to bring these promises to fruition!”

“Yowza!  He’s soooo cool!” exclaimed Ibuki.

It appeared that Byakuya’s words calmed Fuyuhiko down.  The Yazuka put his hands back in his pockets and seemed a bit deflated.  “…I don’t care what you say.  I’m just gonna do whatever I feel like…”

Byakuya nodded.  “Do what you will.  However, remember the words I said earlier.  ‘I will not let any of you become a victim.’  That is the duty that I appointed to myself.”  Fuyuhiko looked away, frowning.  Hikari observed him for a few seconds, thinking quietly.

_I don’t think he is as bad as he think he is…he was just born into that kind of environment…I can’t even imagine living a yakuza’s life…_

Suddenly, Monokuma popped out of nowhere, wearing a white button up shirt, red necktie, and a light blue blazer.  “Um…It looked like you guys were arguing…so I wasn’t sure when to actually show up…It looks like I showed up at an awkward time!”

A couple of the students jumped in surprise at his entrance.  Sadly for Hikari, she was slowly getting used to it.  Chiaki blinked, tilting her head.  “Hey hey…why…are you dressed like that?”

“Oh, didn’t I mention it in my recent broadcast?  It’s my costume for the fun time!”

“Don’t tell me you’re going to…” Peko began to say.

“That’s right!  Since we’re on a tropical island, I’m here to do my two-man comedy routine!”

Sonia sweatdropped.  “But can you do a two-man comedy routine by yourself?”

“Of course not!  That’s why I brought my partner,” Monokuma replied as Monomi magically appeared, wearing a pink ruffled dress.  She looked around in a daze.

“Ha-wa-wa-wa!  What is this!?” she whimpered.

Nekomaru picked his nose, unamused.  “Hmm, that figures…”

“Thank you for waiting!” Monokuma said courteously.  “Now then, without further ado, I’m pleased to present ‘Monokuma’s Side-Splitting Live Two-Man Comedy Show’!”

“Wait!  I didn’t hear anything about this!  Are you telling me that I have to improvise!?” Monomi said, starting to panic.

Everyone reluctantly stood in front of the stage.  Hikari fingered her necklace.  _I hope it isn’t literally a side-splitting show…_   The comedy show wasn’t very…comical; in fact, it was downright awkward and boring. 

Monokuma must’ve realized that he was losing his audience because the next thing he said got everyone’s attention.  “Believe me, it’s a fact that Monomi’s a villain.  I’ll let you in on a little secret of hers…Monomi…went out of her way to erase your memories!”

“Say what!?” cried Monomi.  “…Wait, huh?”

Monokuma ignored her and continued, looking at his audience.  “You guys don’t remember how you got to this island, am I right?  Well, that’s because Monomi stole your memories!”

“W-what are you saying all of a sudden!?”

“But wait, there’s more!  She didn’t just steal your boring memories, like how you guys got to this island.  She completely took your memories of the years you spent at Hope’s Peak Academy!  What a shocker!  Phew, I feel great now that I’ve shared that with you…”  Hikari felt all the blood drain from her face.  She looked at Monomi who was at the verge of a breakdown, nervously sweating and looking suspicious.  Hikari wasn’t sure if she herself was going in shock since Monokuma’s voice sounded a bit distant.  “Puhuhuhu…Wasn’t that a huge surprise?  In truth, you guys aren’t freshmen students at all.  You guys just thought you were because you’ve lost all your school memories…!”  Hikari took a couple of ragged breaths before she felt a strong yet gentle arm linking with hers.  She looked to her right to see Chiaki beside her, the Gamer’s eyes never leaving the stuffed animals.  Monokuma punched Monomi off the stage, the bear obviously done with his two-man bit.

“We don’t know any of that, Seishin-san…” Chiaki whispered.  “Just relax.”  Hikari stared at her friend before taking a deep breath, gradually regaining her composure.  She took a glimpse around to find that a few of her classmates were also in disbelief regarding Monokuma’s leaked information.

Nagito asked in a soft voice, “What…did he mean…?”

Monokuma pulled off his costume in a flourish and looked at the teens with a grin.  “How was it?  Was it funny?  Or was the comedy too high brow for you?”

Byakuya frowned at Monokuma.  “What…were you just saying now?”

Monokuma tilted his head.  “What I was saying just now…” he chuckled, his paws covering his mouth.  “Oh…you mean when I said that your school memories were completely stolen?”

Everyone was still in the skepticism phase.  Ibuki laughed nervously.  “T-there’s no way…Cause…I just entered Hope’s Peak Academy, and then I was brought to this island…right away…”  People nodded, agreeing with the eccentric girl.

“That’s because that’s how you remember it.  All thanks to Monomi stealing your school memories…”

“What are you saying!?” Hajime shouted, clenching his fists.  “That’s impossible!”

“Man…how many years has it been since you guys first entered Hope’s Peak Academy…?  I wondered what happened to your friends and family.  They’re probably worried sick about you…maybe?”

“Our school memories were stolen!?  How ridiculous!” yelled Nekomaru, nervous sweat forming on his face.

“That’s right!  There’s no way I have memory loss!” Kazuichi shouted at Monokuma.

Monomi looked at her students desperately, her dress gone and wearing a diaper again.  “D-don’t…don’t listen to what he says…”

Ibuki was on the verge of a seizure, feeling overwhelmed from taking in this shocking news, her mouth foaming.  “Limit breached…”

Teruteru started sweating, shaking his head.  “I won’t believe it…Yup, everything’s okay…”

Mikan whimpered, looking at Monokuma in fear.  “You’re lying, r-right…?  Stealing our memories…that’s a lie, right?  You’re just trying to make fools out of us, right?”

Monokuma waved a paw, grinning evilly.  “Wrong!  It is not a lie.  If it’s a lie…then how do you explain this?  The moment you arrived at Hope’s Peak Academy, you all experienced a strange dizziness…”

The students stared at the stuffed animal, stunned.  “Wha…?  How do you know that?” questioned Hajime.

“Pupupu…that was the cut-off point.  Your memories beyond that had been completely removed.”

Hajime stood there, mouth agape.  “W-what the hell!?”

Mikan was at the point of breaking down.  So…a long time has passed…since then?”

“Impossible!” bellowed Nekomaru.  “There’s no way!”

Monokuma tilted his head in curiosity.  “Like…why is it impossible?”

“Whether or not it’s possible…there’s no way we can believe it,” stammered Nagito.

“No no!  You just don’t want to believe it, right?”  Monokuma chuckled, looking quite happy.  “But don’t worry…I’m a generous guy!  I can restore your memories to you!”

“…Huh!?” Monomi gasped.

“However…there’s a catch,” added Monokuma.

“Don’t tell me the catch is…” Chiaki started to say.

“Pupupupu….figured it out yet?”  He roared in laughter.  “That’s right, you guys have to kill each other!  That’s my bargaining point!”  Hikari swore that if Chiaki wasn’t holding her arm, the raven-colored hair girl undoubtedly would have fainted.

“Hwa-wa-wa!” sputtered Monomi, her paws to her cheeks in shock.

“You guys wanna know, right?  You want your school memories back, right?  Then you better start killing!  A penny for your thoughts, and a murder for your memories!”

Byakuya tightened a fist, looking angrily at the bear.  “Stop this at once…!  Do you really think your delusional rambling will convince us to commit murder…?”

Mahiru glowered at Monokuma.  “I don’t even believe in that memory loss crap in the first place!”

Monokuma calmed down, eying everyone with an evil glint in his red eye.  “But more than that, what you guys really don’t believe is each other, right?”

“What do you mean…?”

“You guys don’t know each other.  Which means…None of you realize that there’s a traitor hiding among you, right!?”

Hikari felt her heart stop.  _A…a traitor…?_   Many of her classmates looked puzzled.

Monokuma grinned.  “Hey, why are there seventeen of you?  Every class selected for Hope’s Peak ends up being sixteen students.  And…if a total of sixteen students from Hope’s Peak Academy were arranged to come to this island…”  He burst out laughing.  “That’s right!  There’s probably a traitor I don’t even know about hiding among the group! ...Just kidding.”

“What are you saying?” Fuyuhiko exasperated.  “All this shit about traitors doesn’t make any sense!”

“…It’s obviously nonsense,” agreed Peko.

“For real, you guys,” Monokuma went on.  “How can you be so sure?  You guys don’t know anything about each other.  You don’t know each other’s true natures.  That’s why, if one of you is planning to kill someone, it’s impossible for any one of you to know.”  No one was able to say anything back at him.  He was right in that they hardly knew each other.  Monokuma continued, looking innocent.  “Even so…if there really is a traitor, isn’t that gosh darn awful?  Pretending to be your ally and tricking you guys…It makes sense for someone like that to get killed, right?  C’mon!  Make the preemptive strike!  It’s first come, first serve and the winner takes all!  If you want to survive, you gotta find that person before they find you…Ahahahahahahaha!”  Monokuma disappeared with a poof, his laughter echoing throughout the park.

Everyone stood unmoving at their spot, processing all of this into their overwhelmed minds.  Mikan looked at everyone, terrified.  “Is it true…?  Is there really a traitor among us…?”  She recoiled, her arms shielding her.  “Ah!  It’s not me by the way!  I know I may look suspicious but…it’s not me!”

Nekomaru scrutinized everyone around him.  “Who is it!?  Hurry up and show yourself!  You’re only making things worse for you staying silent!”

Hikari bit her lip, feeling herself start to panic internally.  _What if they don’t know they’re the traitor…?  What if it’s someone who can’t use their talent unless they start the killing game…?_   She felt a tug of her arm from Chiaki, welcoming the small distraction from her depressing thoughts.

“…Just stop,” commanded Byakuya.  “There’s no way there’s a traitor.  There’s no way…It’s pointless to discuss something so foolish.”

“T-that’s right…I won’t believe it…” stammered Teruteru though his body couldn’t stop trembling in anxiety.  “Because there’s no way I can believe it…There’s no reason in the first place to believe it…”

Peko stared at Monomi.  “Monomi…you would know.”

Monomi jumped in surprise, acting nervous.  “Eh!?”

“Is what Monokuma said true?  About our memory loss…and about the traitor…?”

Monomi looked even more frazzled, looking at the ground.  “Um…I mean…Everyone needs to look towards the future…That’s why…you shouldn’t look back to the past…”  She raised her arms abruptly.  “Keep your eyes fixed to the future.  L-let’s do our very best!”  With that said, she quickly ran away.

Hikari watched her, dumbfounded.  _What was that all about…?  Look to the future…?  Forget about the past…?  What does this all mean?_   She frowned as she felt another headache coming on, her mind feeling overworked.

*Ding dong, bing bong*

The monitor next to the square mysteriously turned on to show Monokuma relaxing in his chair with his usual drink.  “Ahem!  Hope’s Peak Academy’s School Trip Executive Committee has an announcement to make…It is now 10:00 p.m.  Please return to your rooms and relax.  Let the sound of the ocean gently rock you to sleep.  Now then, sweet dreams, everyone.  Good niiiiiiiiiight…” Monokuma said mockingly before the monitor switched off.

Chiaki stared at the screen in a serious but quiet manner before asking, “Hey…what should we do?”

“It’s better to call it a night here,” Byakuya answered.  “We should get some sleep…and try to keep our minds calm.”

Chiaki frowned, letting go of Hikari’s arm to pull up her kitty hood, looking worried.  “I guess…you’re right.”

Byakuya observed his classmates carefully.  “Just so you all know…Do not think about unnecessary things.  This is your leader’s order.  Tomorrow morning…let’s meet at the restaurant after Monokuma’s morning announcement.”

Everyone walked back to their cottages together in an uncomfortable silence.  Once Hikari entered her cottage, she got ready for bed and decided not do a repeat of last night.  Even though Hikari took a nap before the night gathering, her brain felt like mush.  Her mind graciously thanked her for letting it rest as she got under her bedcovers and closed her eyes, falling asleep.

Days Left: 20

Survivors: 17


	6. The Night Is Young for Murder

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the Danganronpa series. I only own Hikari Seishin and her family.
> 
> Note: I try to make the story as canon as I can with obvious creative liberties.
> 
> Author's Note: I apologize for this chapter coming out later that I wanted to. This month was a bit of a whirlwind for me. Hopefully, the length of this chapter will help satisfy you. Please enjoy!

*Ding dong, bing bong*

“Ahem,” Monokuma recited his morning announcement as Hikari stretched out her body in bed, yawning loudly, eyes still shut.  “Hope’s Peak Academy’s School Trip Executive Committee has an announcement to make…”  The girl itched her head, squinting a couple of times, slowly getting up and walking to the bathroom.  “Goooood morning, everyone!  Looks like today will be another beautiful, tropical day!”  The squeak of the shower faucet echoed throughout the small bathroom as the recorded announcement finished up.  “Now then, let’s show some enthusiasm and make sure we give it our all today!”

Hikari took her time in the shower, staring at the wall as the water cascaded down her body.  Everything was just too much for her lately…losing her talent…being forced to play a killing game by an evil teddy bear…she felt like she was starting to lose it…

_“Do not think about unnecessary things.  This is your leader’s order.”_   Hikari blinked and took a deep breath.  _That’s right…Togami-san wants us not to think about negative thoughts…Thinking like that won’t help us at all._

After about thirty minutes, Hikari was walking into the Hotel restaurant to find Sonia, Teruteru, and Nekomaru already there.  She stopped at the top of the stairs, feeling the tension in the air strangling her renewed yet flimsy hold of positivity.  The Spirit Medium frowned and walked to the table Sonia was sitting at and sat down across from her, silently grabbing some orange juice.  Gradually, the other students showed up and started eating breakfast.

Byakuya looked around, swallowing a huge bite of an omelet before asking, “…Is everyone here?”

Chiaki glanced around her.  “…Huh?  It seems Kuzuryu-san is not here yet.”

“Hehe, maybe he already got killed…” Hiyoko suggested with a smirk.

“Ehhhhh!?” Ibuki screamed in panic.  “Dead bodies already!?”

Peko sighed with a hint of annoyance.  “Don’t go killing people off…I saw him outside earlier...However, he told me that he would not be joining us this morning.”

Mahiru frowned, irritated.  “Jeez, why does he have to act like a lone wolf at a time like this…?”

“C-could he be planning a way to kill someone by himself…?” Kazuichi asked nervously.

Sonia gave the Mechanic a stern look.  “Souda-san!  You should not doubt your friend!”

Hikari blinked in surprise when fear won over infatuation with Kazuichi, the pink haired teen standing his ground towards the Princess.  “Hey hey hey!  He’s a yakuza, isn’t he?  Do you understand what that means?  He’s part of the Japanese mafia!”

“I presume he’s the kind of person who would not come even if we summoned him…I guess it can’t be helped…We should just talk among ourselves.  Someone can fill him in later.”

“Talk?” Hajime questioned.  “What are we going to talk about?”

Byakuya smirked, closing his eyes.  “Rejoice…I have decided to throw a party tonight.”

Everyone appeared very confused.  Hikari raised an eyebrow.  _A party…?  Is it someone’s birthday?  Are we celebrating something?_

Byakuya stared at everyone seriously.  “Just so we’re clear, I will not allow any absences.  Your attendance at this party is absolutely mandatory.”

Hikari felt even more curious.  _I wonder why that is…_   She would have asked this out loud, but Byakuya seemed very intimidating at that moment.  She preferred her head not to get bitten off, thank you very much.

“Um, hold on…” Nagito began, looking thoughtful, a hand to his chin.  “I agree with Togami-san…It doesn’t do us any good to stay bummed out like this…”  He looked at his classmates.  “In fact, because of the situation we’re in, it’s probably best if we all strengthen our friendships with one another.”  He smiled at the group leader.  “That’s what you thought too, right?  That’s why you want to throw a party.”

_That does make sense…_ Hikari thought to herself as she took a sip of her orange juice, watching the discussion quietly.

Byakuya glimpsed at Nagito.  “It doesn’t matter why I’m doing it…Anyway…it is of vital importance that we all stay in one place tonight.”

That statement definitely raised a red flag in Hikari’s mind.  _Why…?_

Gundham seemed to share the same concern.  “…You say that with such significance,” he muttered, arms crossed.

“It’s decided!” Byakuya declared.  “We’re having ourselves a party!”  Hikari still felt uneasy about this, but she knew she had to go.  She didn’t want to seem suspicious to the others…plus, it might be fun after all.  Everyone’s enthusiasm for the party steadily grew as the conversation continued.

“Ah, in that case, I’ll put my amazing cooking skills on display for you guys,” gloated Teruteru.

“Where is the party going to be held?” Chiaki asked.  “Would this restaurant be okay?”

The blonde male shook his head.  “No, this won’t do…We need a location that’s impervious to interference from outsiders.  A place even Monokuma cannot enter…What we need is an enclosed space.”

“…An enclosed space?” Chiaki tilted her head in curiosity.

“If the restaurant won’t do, then neither will the lobby…That’s not nearly enclosed enough,” informed Gundham.

Sonia looked deep in thought.  “Nor will the cottages…With so many people, we would all be pressed up against each other.”

Hikari nodded in agreement with Sonia.  _And Monokuma can enter cottages too…I learned that a couple of nights ago._   However, she couldn’t help imagining the party being in a cottage, with her body accidently pressed up against a certain someone…  The Spirit Medium blushed furiously, grabbing her glass and chugging the rest of the juice in order to hide her face for a few seconds to cool down.

Nagito looked out a window facing an old-looking building.  “Then…how about the old-looking building near this hotel?”

“Huh?” Chiaki asked, her head tilted to one side slightly.  “…That run-down place?”

Nagito smiled cheerfully.  “Yeah, but if we do our best to clean it, I think it’d be perfect.  Plus, it’s basically the only place that meets our need for an enclosed space, right?”

“Indeed.  However, Monomi has forbidden us from entering that old place,” Peko reminded the group.  “As I recall…it is in the middle of being renovated.”

“Ding, ding, ding, ding!”  Monomi jumped up out of nowhere, arm raised and in good spirits.  “I have heard your conversation!  Heard it all with my very own ears!”  She placed her paws on her hips, looking proud.  “Ahem!  I have good ears!  Cuz I’m a rabbit!”

Byakuya examined the stuffed animal from his seat, still eating his breakfast.  “Oh, so you use your ears.  That’s strange…”

Monomi stared at him, confused.  “Huh!?”

Byakuya started to finish his third plate.  “Then what is the reason for those surveillance cameras?  Are they for Monokuma’s eyes only?”  At this, Monomi suddenly deflated, her ears drooped and tears formed in her eyes.

 Ibuki leaned forward, hand over her forehead as if shading her eyes from the sun.  “Ah, she looks so disappointed!”

“Well, it is of no concern…We can settle that issue another time…”  Byakuya then pointed at Monomi, chopsticks in hand.  “Regarding the old building!  You came to tell us something about it, yes?!”

As usual, Monomi quickly recovered and smiled serenely.  “Yes, if it strengthens everyone’s bonds with each other, then I will not hesitate to cooperate.  I shall allow it!  I shall allow you all to enter the old building!”  She started to get excited.  “I’ll cooperate so we can all party together!”

Hikari refilled her glass, frowning in thought.  _If Monomi can enter the old building, wouldn’t Monokuma be able to get it too?  Monokuma seems to definitely have the upper hand on Monomi so what would stop him from trespassing and crashing the party…?_

Monomi sadly disappeared when she was clearly told she wasn’t invited to the party.  The group continued as if Monomi didn’t even show up.  Mahiru looked around at everyone.  “So…we’re all good with the old building?”  Everyone nodded or made a noise of consent.  “Then what about preparations?  If it’s in the middle of a renovation, don’t we need to clean it first?”

Sonia’s eyes lit up at the thought.  “Wow!  I have never done the dirty work known as ‘cleaning’ before.  I am excited to finally experience it!”

Kazuichi quickly put a halt to that idea.  “No way!  There’s no way we can dirty our dear princess’s hands!”

Hiyoko pouted.  “Awwwwwww, I don’t wanna do it either!”

Hikari sipped her juice.  _I honestly wouldn’t want to either…_

Nagito grinned.  “In that case, why don’t we decide by a random drawing?”

“Random drawing…?” Hajime asked.

Nagito pulled seventeen chopsticks out of nowhere, holding them in both hands, covering the bottoms.  “To be honest, I already prepared a drawing because I assumed something like this would happen.”

The Spirit Medium sweatdropped.  _Don’t you know what happens when you assume…?_

The Luckster explained the rules of the drawing as everyone surrounded him to take a chopstick.  “Whoever draws the chopstick with the red mark on it will be in charge of cleaning, okay?  Does that sound fair?”

Gundham eyeballed the chopsticks in Nagito’s hands.  “Well the, let us entrust our destinies to the whims of this drawing!”

Mahiru nodded.  “All right.  Well, no hard feelings.”

One by one, everyone took a chopstick out of Nagito’s hands.  Hikari pulled one out, her eyes closed.  _Please don’t be red….please don’t be red…_ She peeked one eye open to see hers did not have a red mark.  The black haired girl let out a heavy sigh of relief.

Nagito caught sight of red on the last chopstick saved for him.  His eyes widened in surprise.  “Huh? I’m left with the red mark?!”

Hajime chuckled lightly.  “For someone called the SHSL Luckster, you don’t seem very lucky right now…”

Nagito smiled sheepishly, hands up.  “I guess it can’t be helped…Well, if it’s just cleaning, leave it to me.  I’m actually pretty good at it.”

Mahiru smiled towards him.  “I thought so.  You seem like you’d make a pretty good stay-at-home dad.”

“…I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Teruteru grinned confidently.  “Then I’ll handle the cooking.  All right, first I need to prepare my ingredients, then I’ll start cooking at the old building.  I, Hanamura Teruteru, will go all out!  I will prepare the world’s most tastiest dishes for you all!”

“Then I just need to pass along the party details to Kuzuryu-san,” Peko said.

Byakuya wiped his mouth on a cloth napkin, standing up; six dishes laid on the table with residue of food coating them.  “Let’s go about our business then.  After Monokuma’s nightly announcement, we’ll meet at the old building.”

Nagito walked down the stairs outside and strolled towards Rocketpunch Market, hands in his pockets.  He was pretty proud of himself for holding in his elation when he realized he ended up with cleaning duty.  He fondly remembered what Hajime told him…

_For someone called the SHSL Luckster, you don’t seem very lucky right now…”_  Nagito couldn’t help but crack a smile.  _If only you knew, Hinata-san…Well, I better take advantage of all this luck before it all comes crashing down in my face._  The scheming teen walked through the market’s doors, the chime informing the empty store that someone has entered.  _Everything is falling into place…just have to get it all ready.  By the time I carry the things I need over to the old building, Hanamura-san should stay in the kitchen for a while.  Then, I can grab a knife from the restaurant’s kitchen…_

^o^ ^o^

Hikari was cleaning her glasses in her bathroom sink, sighing heavily.  She wasn’t sure if she should have agreed to go jogging with Ibuki.  Ibuki had the wonderful idea to jog around the animal ranch because she liked to look at the animals as background scenery.  Of course that didn’t last long once Ibuki decided to chase some of the animals, specifically a pig for some odd reason…Hikari had a feeling not to chase after the Musician, but like any person who didn’t want their friend to face the wrath of angry farm animals, Hikari pursued the eccentric girl.  That decision resulted in a swift and messy face plant into a patch of mud.  When Ibuki found the Spirit Medium laying face first in the mud, she just shrugged and jumped right in next to the raven-haired girl.

A couple hours later and here she was, finally clean from her misadventure.  Hikari didn’t expect that to happen, but she didn’t deny that it was fun.  _Maybe this is how it feels to have friends…to actually get into silly situations like that and laugh about it afterwards…I’m starting to like that._

Hikari didn’t bother to change into her nightclothes since she was going to the party.  She walked into the main room, putting on her glasses as she heard the bell.

*Ding dong, bing bong*

The monitor in the room turned on as Hikari walked to the door.  “Ahem!  Hope’s Peak Academy’s School Trip Executive Committee has an announcement to make…It is now 10:00 p.m.  Please return to your rooms and relax.  Let the sound of the ocean gently rock you to sleep.  Now then, sweet dreams, everyone.  Good niiiiiiiiiight…”  Hikari made a slightly annoyed face towards the Monokuma on the screen before it shut itself off.  She took this as her cue to walk over to the old building, leaving her cottage and locking the door behind her.

When the Spirit Medium entered the cabin-like structure, the first person she came across was Byakuya.  He stood at the entrance with two steel cases by his feet.  “You’re here…” Byakuya scanned her from head to toe.  “Now then, stand up straight and raise your arms.”

Hikari blinked, her face turning scarlet.  “W-what?  Why?”

He looked down at her with an obvious look on his face.  “Because I need to do a body check.”

“B-body check!?  Am I the only one!?” Hikari looked a bit horrified.

Byakuya scoffed.  “Don’t flatter yourself.  I’m performing a body check on all attendees.  Since I’m the one hosting this party, it’s necessary for me to take all possible security measures.  I already promised that I will not allow even one person to become a victim…!”  His words soothed Hikari a little, but she definitely felt uncomfortable when the Affluent Progeny started searching her for any kind of dangerous items from the legs up.

Once he felt satisfied, he nodded.  “…It appears you haven’t brought anything dangerous.”

Hikari sweatdropped.  “I wouldn’t…”

“Well, I’m sure of it now that I checked you.  I shall allow you to enter.  Everyone is gathering in the dining hall in the back.  Go there and wait…”

Hikari sighed softly.  “I hope you weren’t that invasive with the other girls…a few of them seem to be the type that would knock you out if you touched them the wrong way…”

Byakuya crossed his arms.  “I’m doing this body check on everyone in the same manner.  I’m not lowering my standards of safety just to appease a certain gender.”

Hikari nodded, knowing she cannot convince the blonde otherwise, walking further into the building.  She passed the office and bathroom before coming across the double doors that led into the dining hall where quite a few of Hikari’s classmates were already chatting with each other.  She looked around the room, impressed that Nagito managed to pull off cleaning and decorating this place well.  She walked to him with a smile.  “Hi, Komaeda-san.  You did a very good job cleaning up.”

Nagito smiled.  “I did say I was good at cleaning.”

“Thank you for doing this, even though the job was handed off to you due to an unlucky draw.”

Nagito waved his hands, looking a little uncomfortable, but still smiling.  “No no, it’s all right.  It was my idea to hold the drawing.  This is no big deal at all.”

Hikari smiled understandingly and moved on to talk with the others.  She sweatdropped as Akane hungrily circled each of the three tables full of food, her mouth almost drooling waterfalls.  _Don’t worry, Owari-san…everyone’s almost here…_   Hikari smiled empathically towards the Gymnast as more and more people started to show up.

Byakuya walked into the room after everyone seemed to be present.  “…Thank you for waiting,” said the large teen.  “Hanamura-san is in the kitchen, and…it appears that Kuzuryu-san did not come.”

Peko closed her eyes, frowning.  “I apologize.  I did inform him about the party, but…”

Mahiru looked at the swordswoman reassuringly.  “It’s not like you need to apologize, Pekoyama-san.  It’s his fault for not coming…”

Byakuya seemed mildly annoyed concerning Fuyuhiko’s absence.  “I explicitly stated that attendance was mandatory, but…It’s fine…If it’s just one person, that shouldn’t pose a problem…He won’t be able to do anything.”

Peko stared at him.  “…What do you mean by that?”

Byakuya glanced over at the food tables, something catching his eye.  “More importantly…hm?”  His body tensed up as he glared at one of the tables.  “Hey, what is that!?”  He pointed straight at a table with food pierced by iron skewers.  “…Dangerous.”  He stomped angrily toward the table and furiously grabbed the three iron skewers that held huge chunks of cooked meat.

Hajime blinked in surprise.  “H-hey!  What are you doing!?” he asked as Byakuya rapidly ate the seasoned portions of meats from the skewers.

Akane gawked at the scene happening before her, her eyes involuntarily starting to tear up.  “You’re hoggin’ all the food!  No fair!”

“No, I’m not…!”  Byakuya replied with food in his mouth, still eating away.

“I don’t care what you say, but you’re totally pigging out!” Mahiru shouted, sweatdropping.

“I’m telling you, I’m not…!  Look carefully at this dish.”

“Looks like delicious roasted meat…” answered Nekomaru.  Hikari was even starting to feel hungry from hearing how appetizing that meat sounded.

“And just what is stabbed into this roasted meat?” asked Byakuya.

Hikari tilted her head.  “Obviously, iron skewers…”

“That’s right.  These iron skewers are definitely dangerous items.  I must take full responsibility and collect them!”

Teruteru walked into the dining hall, happy that he was able to showcase his talent to everyone.  “Heeeeey!  Looks like everyone’s here!  I should go ahead and bring out the rest of the food…huh?”  He saw that many of his friends were surrounding Byakuya who was finishing off the meat from the second skewer.  Teruteru started to quiver, starting to sweat nervously.  “Whaaaaaaaa-!?”

Byakuya tore into the food on the third skewer.  “Who made this dish…?”

“That would be me, but…um…Are you a food critic…?” the Chef questioned apprehensively.

“What are you plotting?  Cooking with such dangerous items…”

The shorter man started shaking again.  “D-Dangerous…?  That’s churrasco, a South American meal where you stab meat on an iron skewer to cook it…It felt very tropical and exotic, so I thought that it would totally fit the party’s atmosphere.”

Byakuya swallowed his last bite of the meat and held the three iron skewers cautiously.  “…These iron skewers are a problem.”

“Eh!?  Iron skewers aren’t allowed either!?”

Byakuya studied Teruteru’s reaction.  “Tch…If that’s how you’re acting, then there might be more skewers than just these…”  The group leader started walking towards the room’s exit, passing by Hajime.  “Hey…Hinata-san.  Come with me.  I need your help.”

Hajime gaped at Byakuya’s retreating back.  “…W-why me!?”  Nevertheless, the boy went after him.  Teruteru scampered after the two, visibly sweating with anxiety.

Mahiru crossed her arms.  “I wonder what that was about…”  Peko looked pensive, staring at the doors.

Hikari glanced at the other bespectacled female.  _I think she’s still concerned about what Togami-san said about how Kuzuryu-san’s absence doesn’t matter since it’s only one person…But what does that mean?  Are we all together for a specific reason besides having a party?  Does Togami-san want to keep an eye on all of us tonight?  Does he think that someone’s in danger?_

The three boys returned about fifteen minutes later.  “Ah, they’re finally back!” Mahiru exclaimed.

Akane looked at Byakuya, hand on her hip, not looking too happy.  “Let’s eat already!  I’m starvin’!”

Byakuya scanned the room of his classmates.  “…There’s still an issue we need to address first.”

Akane stared at him in devastation.  “Awww! An issue?”  She recovered her composure and started to crack her knuckles.  “Who do I gotta beat the crap outta?  Just say the word, I’ll do it for ya!”

Hikari deadpanned.  _Does she always resort to violence to solve problems?_

Byakuya shook his head.  “That won’t be necessary…The issue is where to safeguard this duralumin case that has all the confiscated dangerous items.”

“Can’t we just leave it here?” Kazuichi asked.

“I’ve already put a lock on the case, so it shouldn’t be a problem, but…we should definitely up the security and keep it some place safe.”

“Um, some place safe…Oh!  There is a storage room at the back of this old building,” Sonia suggested.

Byakuya pushed his glasses closer to his face.  “I see…A storage room, huh?  Even so, we can’t leave the case alone in there.”

Peko looked contemplatively towards Byakuya.  “Then someone should guard it.  That would keep it safe, yes?”

Hikari frowned slightly.  _Meaning someone would miss out on the party…_

Peko crossed her arms, her mind made up.  “…I’ll do it, of course.”

The Spirit Medium looked troubled.  “Are you sure?  You’re going to miss the party…”

Ibuki nodded and added, “And you’re gonna be lonely all by yourself.”

Peko closed her eyes.  “I don’t mind…I’m really not that good in situations where I have to be around lots of people anyway.”

Ibuki seemed to understand the Swordswoman’s reasoning because she lit up with a smile.  “Nahaha, if I wrote a song about this, the title would definitely be ‘Lonely girl in the Storage Room.’”

“However, Teruteru has gone to the trouble of cooking…is it all right for me to bring some of it with me?” the braided girl requested.

Teruteru beamed.  “Yeah, it’s totally fine!”

Nagito placed a hand to his chin in thought.  “But…if you’re going to do guard duty anyway, it might be better if you avoid the storage room.”

“Why is that?” asked Hajime.

“Well, not only is the storage room packed with lots of stuff, it’s hard to see in there and full of cobwebs…” The Luckster smiled nonchalantly.  “Also, I was so busy cleaning the dining hall that I didn’t even have time to clean the storage room.”

“If you stayed in there for a long time…I think it would be bad for your health.”

“In that case…why don’t you guard it in the office?” recommended Byakuya.  “If I recall correctly, there’s also a circuit breaker in there, too.  It’d be a good idea to guard that as well.”

“Yeah, the office sounds nice,” agreed Nagito.  “I’m pretty sure it’s not that dirty, either.”

“…Understood.  So I need to be on guard duty in the office,” stated Peko.  “Then, I should get going.  Have fun tonight, everyone.”  She took a plate, placing some food on it before going to the duralumin case, picking it up by the handle with her free hand and walked out of the dining hall.

Ibuki closed her eyes, grinning.  “Mmmm, seeing Pekoyama-san’s back as she walks away make me feel like she’s got this super cool, melancholy vibe…”

_I definitely agree, Mioda-san,_ Hikari thought as she watched Peko leave as well.

“But shouldn’t she have taken that other case with her, too?” Hiyoko asked, looking puzzled.

“This…” Byakuya started, carrying the second case by the handle in his plump hand.  “…No, this case is fine.”

“Ah, no fair!  You’re, like, the only one who got to bring their own stuff.”

He raised an eyebrow and looked at her condescendingly.  “When you’re as special as me…you get special privileges.”  Everyone sweatdropped.  Byakuya explained further.  “This duralumin case stays with me at all times.  I’ve put the key to the other case in here as well.  I will take full responsibility for watching over it.  There’s no way I can let anyone else handle this matter.”

Akane was more focused on the food on the table, drooling.  “More importantly…We’re all done now, right?  Let’s start the party...”  Hikari could tell that Akane was jealous that Byakuya already started eating the food minutes ago and that Peko walked off with food and was most likely eating as they spoke.

Though, once again, Byakuya kept the group discussion alive.  “No, there’s still more.”

Again, Akane cracked her knuckles.  “Ugh, who do you want me to beat the crap outta!?  Hurry up and tell me already!”

Hajime sighed exasperatedly.  “Seriously, it has nothing to do with that…”

Byakuya looked at Akane.  “Actually…if you’re volunteering, I do have one particular nuisance in mind.

“Huh?  Are you talking about…?”

_Monokuma, right?_ Hikari finished Hajime’s question mentally.

Byakuya confirmed Hikari’s guess.  “Monokuma, of course.  He’s the one thing that could obviously disrupt this party.”

The gymnast started to grin, stretching her arms, getting charged up.  “Awwww riiiiiiight!  So you’ll let me eat if I beat the crap outta Monokuma, right!?”

Nekomaru stared at her apprehensively, hands on his hips.  “Hold on.  If you actually pick a fight with that thing, you’re just going to end up perforated…”

Akane glared at the SHSL Team Manager since he blocked her way out of the room.  “Are you tellin’ me to wait till I starve to death!?  Move!”

Mahiru sweatdropped.  “Hey…starve to death!?  That’s a little extreme…!”

“Our opponent is not someone we can actually fight.  Rather, it’s better if we use our heads and think of a plan…” the Affluent Progeny stated.

Chiaki piped up after a moment of silence.  “Hey hey…I’ll do something about it.”  Everyone turned to her with a range of surprised reactions.

“Do something…?  You…?” the group leader asked, stunned.

Kazuichi frowned.  “Hey now…What can a girl like you do?  You’re just gonna put yourself in danger.”

Chiaki blinked.  “Nope, I won’t.  It’s not like I’ll personally do something.”

Hiakari tilted her head, confused.  “You won’t…?”

Gundham chuckled, his eyes closed.  “…Do you intend to utilize Monomi?”

Chiaki nodded.  “Yup, if I can talk her into helping us…”

_Oh, I get it.  Nanami will have Monomi distract Monokuma or at least prevent him from crashing the party.  She can’t die so she’s our best bet._

Some of the girls completely agreed with Chiaki’s idea of using the pink rabbit to their advantage.

Nagito seemed troubled.  “But will you really be okay, Nanami-san?  I still think it’s dangerous…”

Chiaki smiled softly.  “I’m going to be fine.  If things get dangerous, I’ll just run away as fast as I can.”  She started walking away, giving a wave to everyone.  “…Well then, I’ll be going now.” 

Hikari frowned, starting to feel lonely when Chiaki left.  _I really wanted to hang out with her at the party…Maybe I should go with her…_ She took one step and felt her stomach rumble.  The Spirit Medium sweatdropped when she realized she didn’t eat much today.  _Maybe after I eat a little…_

Finally, after the long-winded discussion, the party began.  Hikari didn’t think it would be much fun since no one really knew each other.  However, almost everyone present had such big personalities that it offset any impending awkward silences.  She was so distracted by her classmates’ antics that her plan to join Chiaki faded from her mind.

“Hey, are we good?  Can I finally eat?” Akane asked as she bit into a piece of juicy watermelon.

Kazuichi facepalmed.  “You’re already eating!”

Akane laughed, tears of joy in her eyes as she took a huge bite from a piece of meat still on a bone.  “Haha…hahahaha…I-I can’t stop…Hahahaha!  I can’t stop my hands from shovin’ food into my face!”

Teruteru beamed proudly, puffing out his chest.  “Of course you can’t stop.  These are the world’s most tastiest party dishes, after all.  No matter how full you feel, you can’t help but continue eating such exquisite delicacies…That is what I cook, the world’s tastiest dishes!”

Mikan wrung her hands nervously.  “T-that’s rather scary…”

“…You’re not eating?  Then I’m gonna eat this all by myself!” Akane proclaimed with food in her mouth.

Ibuki gasped.  “Leave some food for us!”

Teruteru smiled.  “Don’t worry.  I’ll make lots more in the kitchen, and then I’ll bring it all out here, okay?”

Mahiru called out.  “Hey everyone!  While we’re at it, why don’t I take pictures for you guys?”

Sonia looked delighted.  “Wow, that sounds wonderful!  Please do!”

Hikari couldn’t help by giggle from Akane’s reactions to the delicious food as the black-haired girl stood next to Hajime, getting a glass of sparkling water for herself.  Their hands collided with each other as Hajime was going for the same drink.  The two teens looked at each other and chuckled awkwardly.  “Go ahead, Seishin-san,” Hajime offered, gesturing to the drink.  “I’ll grab some mango juice.”

Hikari blushed lightly.  “Are you sure?”

Hajime nodded with a smile, picking up a glass of juice.  Hikari felt her body temperature rise as she slowly picked up the glass of water, staring at it.  When she dared to take a glimpse at her crush, he was looking at everyone with a peaceful face.  She blushed deeply, staring at him, mesmerized by his aura of serenity at that moment.  It was as if they weren’t stranded on this island or forced to participate in a killing game, but were just teenagers socializing at a party.

Luckily, Hikari caught herself before Hajime noticed the Spirit Medium ogling him.  The girl cleared her throat and said shyly, “U-um…a toast of friendship?” she raised her glass slightly.  

Hajime blinked and smiled.  “Sure.  To friendship.”  They both smiled calmly as their glasses met with a clink.

*Snap!*

Hikari almost jumped a foot when she heard the snap of a camera and saw a brief flash.  She looked around and saw Mahiru moving the camera away from her face, smiling.  “Awww…you two look so cute together.”  Hajime blinked, feeling his cheeks start to burn lightly as Hikari put her glass of water on the back table that held the lone lamp.  Hikari then walked quickly to the Photographer and pulled her away from the group.  “H-hey!” Mahiru cried out in surprise.

Hikari led Mahiru to a corner of the room, Byakuya’s eyes glued to them with suspicion, but stayed at his post with the case by his feet.

“What are you doing, Seishin-san?” Mahiru asked, pulling free from Hikari’s grip.

Hikari clasped her hands.  “I’m sorry, but…”  She took a deep breath.  “It’s just…I think…”

Mahiru put a hand on her hip, smiling knowingly.  “You like him, huh?”

Hikari stared at the floor, focusing on the thin gaps between the floorboards.  “I don’t even know if…it’s really…I never liked anyone like that…”  Hikari felt her face burn as she felt her eyes water from embarrassment, waiting for the incoming teasing.  What she didn’t expect was receiving a hug from the Photographer.

“Don’t worry,” the redhead soothed Hikari, pulling away with a smile.  “I won’t tell anyone if you’re not comfortable.”

Hikari brightened up.  “Really?  Thank you, Koizumi-san.”

Mahiru smiled sheepishly.  “Hey now, we’re friends.  You can call me Koizumi.  Can I do the same?”

Hikari felt her body grow light.  _This is what it feels like to be officially called a friend?_   She smiled happily, nodding.  “Of course….Koizumi…Oh!” The Spirit Medium took a step towards Mahiru.  “Um, can you do me a favor, Koizumi?  If you don’t want to, it’s okay…I understand.”  Mahiru raised an eyebrow curiously.

A couple minutes later, Hikari walked to the back of the room towards her drink.  She walked by Nekomaru and Hajime as she quietly placed a photo into her pocket.  Hikari jumped when Nekomaru bellowed, “Shitting my pants would totally shame me as a MAAAAANNNNNNNNN!”  Everyone was staring at the extremely uncomfortable looking muscled young man.

Hajime sweatdropped.  “…So he **was** talking about the toilet!”

Byakuya had his arms crossed, looking annoyed.  “If you need to use the bathroom, there is one in this old building.  Why do you need to go back to your cottage?”

The Team Manager clenched his fists, sweat starting to form on his face.  “I…I’ve been trying to use it many times…but the door just won’t open at all!”

Hikari stood by the back table, blinking.  _This situation sounds familiar…didn’t the same thing happen to him when we were in the classroom?_

Suddenly, Gundham let out a shocked gasp.  “W-what is this blasphemy…!?”

Byakuya pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes tightly.  “…What now?”

Gundham looked around him frantically.  “M-my Hell Hound Earring…has disappeared!  Did it vanish into subspace!?”

“Calm down…You probably just dropped it somewhere.”

Nekomaru began moving in place, his face starting to contort.  “Oh shit! I’m gonna SHIIIIIIIIIIIT!!”

“Shut up!  Don’t you dare!”

Akane continued to eat enormous amounts of food.  “Heeeeeeey, is it really alright if I eat all of this?”

“D-Don’t be an idiot!” scolded Byakuya.  “Make sure you leave some for me!”

Mahiru held up her camera, smiling.  “Heey Togami-san!  Everyone c’mon!  I’m gonna take a picture!”  She placed the camera in front of her face.  “All right, say ‘cheeeeeeeeeese!’” The redhead quickly tapped her finger on the flash button of her camera.

*Snap!*

Byakuya looked at everyone around him with frustration.  “Hey!  Why can’t you all act a little more mature…?”

*Beep beep!*

Byakuya blinked, confused.  “…Hm?  What was that sound just now?”

*Bzzap!*

All the lights in the building unexpectedly turned off, leaving everyone literally in the dark.  However, as expected in these situations, everyone started to panic.

“Ah!  It’s a b-blackout!” one of the girls cried out.  Hikari wasn’t sure which one said it.  Hikari was standing in front of the back table, so as long as she had a hand on the tabletop, she knew where she was in the room.

“Hey, I can’t see anything!” a boy ( _Souda-san probably…_ Hikari thought) exclaimed.

Hikari stayed still as a statue as she heard the voices of her classmates move around the room.

“E-everyone, calm down!  We gotta stay calm in a situation like this!” the same feminine voice called out anxiously.

_Well, everyone is definitely not calming down…_ Hikari thought as she heard one of the girls shout at someone for stepping on her.

Byakuya’s voice was clearly picked up by Hikari, Hikari being used to hearing him talk for what seemed like hours at a time.  “What the hell!?  What’s going on here!?”

All of a sudden, Hikari felt herself being shoved hard away from the table.  She fell to the floor on her side hard.  “Ahhh!” she yelped as she felt her glasses slide off from the impact.  The girl winced as she got on all fours, groping the floor for her glasses.  _This is just great…_ she thought bitterly.  _What else could go wrong?_

After an agonizingly long couple of minutes, the lights turned back on.

*Zap!*

Hikari was still crawling around, still searching for her glasses.  She wasn’t completely blind without them, but everything was all a blur to her.

“Seishin-san, here,” Hajime’s voice reached her ears as he knelt on one knee, placing the glasses into her hand.  “Luckily, they didn’t break amid the chaos…” he said half-heartedly, still recovering from the pandemonium himself.

Hikari’s cheeks turned pink.  “T-thank you, Hinata-san…” Hajime helped her up as she put on her glasses to find a shocking scene before them.  “W-What the…!?”

Mikan was laying on her back, her hands wrapped up above her head with sausage links, her legs spread out.  Fortunately for the Nurse, a platter of assorted foods covered her lower area.  Another chain of sausage links bound one of her legs and a variety of food and drinks surrounded the poor girl.

“I-I’m sorry!  I tripped again!” Mikan whimpered, tears in her eyes.

Hajime sweatdropped.  “S-seriously…? How do you trip and land like **that**!?”

Hiyoko laughed.  “Yay!  An erotic pose!”

Mikan shrieked.  “Eek…Noooooooo…P-please don’t!  Please don’t look at me!”

Ibuki burst into a fit of giggles.  “Eeeeeeeeeeee-hehehehe!  I can’t take this at all…!  Mahiru!  It’s time to snap some shots!”

Hikari rolled her eyes, walking to Mikan, muttering, “Honestly…you all just stand there and gawk when Tsumiki-san is in a bad position…”

Mikan sobbed as Hikari helped Mikan get up, putting the platter of food aside and untangling the sausage links from her.  “Please forgive me…! Just forgive me alreaadyyyyy!” Mikan cried.  “I’m terribly sorry for all this trouble…so sorry!”

Hikari looked at Mikan.  “There’s nothing for you to apologize for.  Just relax.”  Mikan sniffled as Mahiru nodded.

“Yeah, from now on…just be careful,” Mahiru advised.

Kazuichi walked into the dining hall, hands on his hips.  “Oh, I’m glad!  The lights are back on here, too!”

Hiyoko smiled, throwing up her arms.  “Yay!  So you were the one who fixed the breaker, Souda-san!  You were unusually useful this time!”

Kazuichi scratched his cheek, sweatdropping.  “Well, no…I couldn’t find my way to the office with the circuit breaker…”

Mahiru blinked.  “Huh?  Then why are the lights back on…?”

Kazuichi laughed weakly.  “Who knows…”

“What?  Are you stupid!?” Mahiru berated.  “Don’t ‘who knows’ me!  You’re so useless!”

“Argh!  It’s not my fault, you know!  There’s no way I could’ve found my way to the office in that darkness!” Kazuichi verbally fought back.

Sonia scanned the room, looking puzzled.  “Oh, my…”

Nagito smiled, a hand on his hip.  “What’s wrong, Nevermind-san…Did something happen?”

“No…Togami-san is missing.  Did he go somewhere?”

Nagito seemed at a loss of words.  “…Eh?  Togami-san?”

Everyone looked around the room.  “That’s weird…H-he was here earlier…right?” Mahiru asked weakly.

Hikari nodded.  “Yeah…I heard him during the blackout…”

Ibuki poked her index fingers together.  “Um…did he run off somewhere…during that time…?”

“In that pitch blackness…?” asked a doubting Hajime.

“I’m…a little worried.  We should split up and go look for him,” suggested Nagito.  “I’ll look in the storage room.”  He walked off as the others started to leave the room to search for their leader.  The only one who stayed behind was Akane who was still munching on the food that wasn’t spoiled by Mikan’s fall.

Hikari walked to the office with Kazuichi.  The pink-haired boy opened the door and the two walked in to find…an empty room.

“Huh?  Isn’t Pekoyama-san supposed to be in here guarding the case?” Hikari asked her classmate.

He fiddled with the hem of his beanie.  “Very suspicious…in any case, Togami-san isn’t here.”  Hikari nodded solemnly.  After another quick glimpse around the room, they walked out and headed back to the dining room.

Hikari frowned.  “I was sure he would’ve went to the office…if not to fix the breaker, then to make sure the case of dangerous items was not tampered with…”

Kazuichi shrugged.  “Maybe…”

Some of the classmates, who seemed concerned now, looked up when they saw Hikari and Kazuichi enter the dining hall.  Hikari frowned more, shaking her head.  “He wasn’t in the office…”

A couple minutes later, Hajime walked in, being the last person who came back from the search.

Nagito turned towards the brunette.  “Ah, Hinata-san!  How did it go?”  Everyone stared at him, waiting for his answer.

Hajime’s eyebrows furrowed in puzzlement, noting that it seemed Byakuya was not found by anyone else here, the huge presence still missing.  “Well, when I talked to Nanami-san, she said that he didn’t go outside…”

Nagito looked uneasy.  “That’s weird…No one was inside the storage room either.”

Teruteru, being present in the room now because he heard Byakuya was missing, said, “He wasn’t in the kitchen, obviously.”

Kazuichi itched his cheek nervously.  “No one was in the office…”

Sonia tilted her head.  “…Nobody was in the office?”

Hiyoko blinked.  “Huh?  What about Pekoyama-san?  I thought she was supposed to be in there guarding a case.”

Hikari crossed her arms.  “No…we didn’t see Pekoyama-san there…”

Mahiru looked surprised.  “What?  Even Pekoyama-san’s gone too?”

Teruteru rubbed his chin in deep thought.  “Maybe the two took advantage of the blackout to have themselves a major makeout session in the bathroom…?”  He snorted at the thought.  “Totally, totally outrageous!”

Hikari sweatdropped, closing her eyes.  “I seriously doubt that…they don’t seem like the type to do that.”

Akane paused from eating, sniffing the air like an animal.  “…Hm? Hmmmmmm?”

Sonia watched her curiously.  “Um…Owari-san, did something happen?”

She continued sniffing, closing one eye.  “Well…Do any of you…smell somethin’?”

Mikan fiddled her fingers together nervously.  “You see…w-when partially digested food is absorbed by the small intestine, it’s decomposed by bacteria, releasing gas…which is mostly absorbed in the intestinal tract, but whatever cannot be absorbed is excreted from the anus.  Th-those are the mechanics of farting…But…farting isn’t something to be embarrassed about!”

Hikari scrunched her face in disgust.  _I hope to whatever gods are out there that Nidai did not do what I think he did…_

Akane studied the room carefully, a hand on her hip.  “No, I’m not talkin’ about that…”  She looked at the group.  “…It smells like blood.”

Everyone stood there in a daze.  “…Blood!?” Hajime shouted.

Akane sniffed the air some more, her nose pointing upwards.  She then directed everyone to the back table.  “It’s comin’ from over there!”  Everyone stared at the table in silence, no one daring to take the first step.  Hajime took a deep breath and slowly walked to the table with the lamp.  Hikari felt a knot forming in her chest, but had the courage to follow Hajime.  Everyone else moved closer to them, but still stayed a distance away, observing what might happen next.

“The smell of blood…What in the world…is at that table?” Hajime whispered to himself, Hikari barely making out what he was saying.  She noticed that her glass of sparkling water was tipped over, the contents dampening the cloth on top of the table.

Akane tensed up.  “It’s…under there…!”

Hajime raised an eyebrow.  “Under…the table?”  He knelt down in front of the table, hesitant to lift the tablecloth.  Hikari stood behind him, placing a supportive hand on his shoulder, staring ahead at the tablecloth Hajime clenched fearfully in his hand.  He closed his eyes shut.  “There’s no way that’s going to happen!”  He lifted the tablecloth quickly with a shout.

Hikari’s eyes widened and felt that her heart leapt up into her throat.  She felt like she couldn’t breathe.  Her hand gripped Hajime’s shoulder so hard that her knuckles were turning white.  She couldn’t see his reaction…she didn’t want to.  However, if she were to guess, it might have been similar to hers.  What laid before them underneath the table were a knife, a pair of night-vision goggles, and the body of their classmate and friend, Togami Byakuya, the SHSL Affluent Progeny.

Days Left: 19

Survivors: 16


	7. A Friend Gone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The investigation into Togami's death.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the Danganronpa series. I only own Hikari Seishin and her family.
> 
> Note: I try to make the story as canon as I can with obvious creative liberties.
> 
> Author's Note: Sorry for the unexpected hiatus. Tried to have this chapter be about both the investigation and trial, but it would probably push at least 40 pages and I didn't want to wait any longer to send this out. Please enjoy!

Everyone stood where they were, still trying to process that Byakuya was lying dead in front of them, blood surrounding him and staining the inside of the tablecloth.

"Togami…san…? Wh-why is Togami-san…?" Sonia weakly asked, hoping that Byakuya was playing a very cruel prank. Deep down, she knew that the dominant teen would never have done such a thing.

Mahiru shook her head, wishing this was a bad dream. "N-No..." she whispered faintly before closing her eyes tightly, screaming at the top of her lungs. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Hikari and Hajime did not move a muscle as everyone else started panicking, the dining hall filled with their friends' screams. Hikari still gripped Hajime's shoulder tightly, not sure if Hajime was shaking or Hikari herself. Their eyes could not move away from their classmate's body, staring at it in silence.

"…Wh-why!?" Mahiru cried, shaking with tears falling down her pale cheeks.

Nekomaru gripped his hair, looking on in disbelief. "WHAT IS THISSSSSSSSSSSSS!?" Teruteru also grabbed his long slicked back hair in shock, screaming. Suddenly, Monokuma came out of nowhere.

"Good gracious…" Monokuma glanced around the room. "Things quickly took a turn for the worse…" He started to laugh hysterically, his paws covering his stomach, his head leaning back. "My my, now this is interesting! On this tropical paradise known as Jabberwock Island, the very first murder has finally taken place!"

Hikari's heart stopped when she heard Monokuma's voice.  _He can come in here…Are Monomi and Chiaki all right…? If they are…was Monokuma able to come in from the start? Did he anticipate that a murder was going to happen? Is that why he didn't show up until now?_  Hikari slowly let go of Hajime's shoulder as he stood up to turn towards Monokuma.

"M-Murder…?" Hajime spoke up, his voice a bit hoarser than usual.

Nagito stepped back, horrified. "H-Hold on! Then, does this mean…!?"

"Pupupu…" the sinister bear giggled, his paws covering his mouth. "Of course…Togami Byakuya…was killed by one of you."

Hajime looked at him, dumbfounded. "Wha-!?"

"If you look at the body, you can tell instantly. He was obviously murdered." The black and white bear stared at the crime scene. "Look, he has such a horrible expression on his face, don'tcha think…?" he asked wistfully, tilting his head to the side with a sadistic grin. "A face filled with regret that his life was ended by force, all thanks to someone else's selfish desires…To have a dying face such as this…If this isn't murder, then what the heck could it be?" Monokuma turned back to look at the faces of the stunned teenagers. "Togami was most likely sacrificed…by someone who reaaaaally wanted to leave this island."

Hikari still couldn't feel her body, feeling frozen at the spot she was kneeling, her deep blue eyes taking in all the red staining white.  _This has to be a dream…there's no way…any of us did_ _ **this**_ _! Togami can't be dead…he promised that there wouldn't be a victim with him in charge…_ The Spirit Medium's body was visibly shaking in front of Togami's body.

"L-lies…It's all lies! You're lying that he was murdered!" Hajime yelled at the stuffed bear. Hikari looked up at Hajime, frowning as she saw that he was trying to hold back his own trembling, not quite sure if it was due from shock, anger, or even both.

"W-what…is this!?" a feminine voice rang out from the entrance of the dining hall. Some of the students turned their heads to see Peko mirroring their own expressions of pure shock. "I-is that…really Togami-san?" Chiaki was standing beside her, looking very troubled.

"Why…why did this happen? Why…Togami-san?" Chiaki asked out loud. No one knew those answers.

Monokuma looked around the room, paw over his eyes. "I see, I see…It appears that Kuzuryuu is the only one who isn't here…" He put his paws to his mouth in glee. "Sooo, in the spirit of keeping everyone on the same page, how about we do this the usual way!?"

Hikari blinked, confused as a bell chimed throughout the property.

*Ding dong, dong ding*

The monitor on the top right corner of the room turned on, showing the usual: Monokuma sitting on a wicker chair with a tropical drink in hand. However, the message was a far cry from the normal daily announcements. "A body has been discovered!" Those words sent shivers down Hikari's spine as Monokuma's message continued. "Now then, after a certain amount of time has passed, the class trial will begin!" Then the screen went blank.

Everyone still stared at the blank screen, trying to process the announcement. Hajime broke the silence. "Class…trial…?"

Monokuma nodded. "I've already explained this to you, right? If one of you is murdered…" Hikari closed her eyes, feeling a wave of dizziness hit her, her ears blocking out all sound. She still couldn't believe any of this, especially since she couldn't sense his spirit…

_That's right…I lost my talent…_  Hikari clenched her fists, frustration starting to mingle with her panic. She took a few deep breaths, focusing on her breathing, trying to calm down.  _Just breathe…I won't be useful to anyone if I have a mental breakdown…Breathe in…Breathe out…_  After a few minutes of this mantra, her hearing recovered to listen in on the group's discussion concerning the class trial.

Hajime was still standing close to Hikari, looking miserable. "Do we…really have to do it…?"

Mahiru looked like she was on the verge of tears, looking away from the back table. "No…I don't want to do something like that…"

Mikan was already sobbing, looking petrified. "I don't want to do it…either! I-it sounds so scary!"

Peko frowned, her eyebrows furrowed. "However, it is just as Saionji-san said. If we are going to get killed for not doing it…then we must do it."

"But still…" Nagito sighed sadly, a hand on his hip as he gazed upon the bloody scene. "I can't believe one of us killed Togami-san…There's no way I can believe it…No way…So, for that reason…" The white-haired boy paused, his arm fell at his side. He looked at everyone with a determined look. "I'll do it! I'll investigate Togami-san's death…I will do my best to prove that there's no killer among us. There's no need to deceive or doubt each other. What we need to fight is not ourselves…" Nagito clenched his fist. "…but that which is trying to crush us…This despair!"

Hikari didn't really understand what he meant by that, but she didn't feel as weighed down as before.  _Innocent until proven guilty…? But then who killed Togami-san if Komaeda-san proves that none of us killed him? What the hell is happening on this island? Could it really be Monokuma?_   So many questions ran through her head with no plausible answers. Chiaki's curious voice broke the Spirit Medium's never ending stream of questions in her head.

"Ah, before we start, can I say something?" The Gamer took everyone's silence as a cue to continue. "In closed-circle detective games, the player usually has to decide on who's going to guard the crime scene…What should we do?"

Hiyoko blinked, poking her cheek. "Oh yeah, it would be bad if the killer destroyed evidence and got away with it."

Mikan squeaked, looking shocked. "D-destroyed the evidence…?"

"Pointing!" Ibuki pointed with her finger guns towards Nekomaru. "Look, over there! That big, bulky, brawny guy is perfect for the guard job!" Hikari glanced over to Nekomaru who still looked to be constipated, his whole face covered in sweat, tightening his fists. Suddenly, he threw his arms in the air, his hands gripping his hair with a loud yell and sprinted out of the dining hall. Everyone looked after him with confused looks.

Hajime blinked, sweatdropped. "W-What the hell? What happened?"

Kazuichi closed his eyes, itching his right cheek. "That guy…has a sensitive heart, despite his looks…" Hajime still sweatdropped, looking at the Mechanic.

"…I-is that what that means?"

"Um…I can be the one who watches the crime scene…" Mahiru volunteered with a soft voice, still visibly upset. "I don't have enough confidence to investigate the body…and it's not like I have the brains either…I'll just stay by Togami-san's side. That's the least I can do. That's what guard duty is, right?"

Hikari smiled compassionately towards the redhead. "Koizumi…" She closed her eyes, pushing her glasses closer to her face before standing up on shaky legs. "I'll stay as well. I'll try using my talent to try to communicate to Togami-san's spirit. Maybe by some miracle, it'll work…" Mahiru smiled weakly at the ebony-haired girl, her eyes full of appreciation, knowing Hikari volunteered partly to keep her company.

Mikan, seeing this display of friendship between the two girls and towards Byakuya, wrung her hands nervously, squeezing her eyes shut as she spoke. "U-um…I'll do my best! I'll do my very best…to not get in your way!" She clasped her hands firmly against her chest. "I-I have medical training so i-if it's not too much trouble, I can perform the autopsy…Please."

Chiaki looked at the stuttering basket case known as Mikan. "So you're going to stay as well…is that okay?"

Ibuki giggled nervously, poking her index fingers together. "And what, specifically, should we be doing now? I have noooooooooooooo idea!"

Nagito placed a hand on his chin pensively. "It's pretty obvious that we're all amateurs. Going through each grain of sand on a beach just to find a clue would be a waste of time. The only ones who can do that are the police…There's no way amateurs like us would be able to do that." The Luckster raised an index finger in the air, his other hand on his hip. "So…let's first rely on our intuition. We'll start from there and prove that none of us could have killed Togami-san."

Monomi, who came into the dining hall with Chiaki, started sobbing. "But…to perform an autopsy on your friend…How cruel…"

Mikan started shaking like a leaf, holding back tears. "But…I have no choice, right? There's no way I could…do something like decline, right?"

Apparently, Mikan wasn't the only one trembling. Teruteru shook so much it looked like he was vibrating. "I-I won't believe it…Togami-san got killed…I don't believe that at all…" When he calmed down, he laughed weakly, "F-Fine…I'm in…"

Sonia frowned. "You are right…If we are to survive…this is our only path."

Mahiru murmured, "Something like this…is the only thing we can do in order to stay alive…"

Hajime also did not look enthused by this impending investigation and trial. "Even so…I still gotta do it," Hajime whispered, giving himself a short pep talk.

All of a sudden, Monokuma started shoving tablets in people's faces. "…The Monokuma File!" he screamed. Hikari glared angrily at the stuffed bear after he shoved the electronic device at her, squishing her glasses against her face. She held the tablet and held it at a comfortable distance to her eyes, seeing a white screen with the words "Monokuma File 1" typed in the center. "Just as I thought, you amateurs need this, right?" his voice asked mockingly.

"What t-the hell…is a Monokuma File…?" Hajime asked, taken aback by the eFile being thrown at him unexpectedly.

Monokuma looked towards the floor, dejected, his paws behind his back. "Jeez, explaining the rules all the time reaaaaally breaks my bones…" He then raised his black paw in the air, seeming to be irritated. "Well, it's not like I have bones in the first place…Like, don't even make me say such lame jokes!" Hikari and Hajime stared at him, deadpanned.

_We aren't making you…you're saying them on your own…_  Hikari thought bitterly.

"Let's seeee…" Monokuma began to explain. "The Monokuma File contains precise and detailed information regarding the dead body." The stuffed bear rubbed the back of his head, appearing to be very proud of himself. "I've brought it to ya so you guys can smoothly proceed with the investigation. I'm such a nice guy." He grinned nastily. "I'm so nice I wanna be known as the Mother Theresa of the Mascot World!"

Monomi threw her paws in the air in anger. "'Nice,' you say…You're just a selfish meanie!"

Monokuma tilted his head to the side. "My my my…Monomi the Meaningless Mascot, you're still here?"

"Don't put me in the meaningless mascot genre!"

"C'mon, let's go! Your turn is already up! Hurry up and get the hell out of here with me!" Monokuma barked out, showing his claws, a vein throbbing on the white half of his face. He walked up to Monomi, aggressively pulling her long ears and started dragging her out of the room.

Monomi squirmed with tears in her eyes. "Ouchie! Don't pull my ears! They're gonna come off!" Her voice faded away as the stuffed animals left. Everyone seemed to relax a bit once they were gone.

Hikari glanced down at the tablet in her hands and swiped at the screen. The next thing to appear on the screen was a full-length image on Byakuya on the screen with basic information to the right of it.  _Togami Byakuya…Information…Height, six feet…weight, 286 pounds…_  Hikari swiped the screen upwards a second time to see a new screen on the page. She frowned as she saw the top half of the page bearing a picture of the crime scene, including Byakuya's dead body. Hikari trained her eyes to the bottom half which gave the cause of death.  _"The victim's body was discovered in the dining hall of the old building near the Hotel Mirai,"_   she read to herself.  _"The estimated time of death is 11:30 p.m. The victim was repeatedly stabbed over ten times between the throat and abdominal region, resulting in death…Aside from that, the body has no other external injuries, and no chemicals such as poison were detected…"_   Her eyes glanced at the silhouette of Byakuya's body next to the description, red circles indicating his fatal wounds from his neck to his stomach. She closed her eyes briefly, trying to hold back the coming tears.  _Who…can be so cruel…to stab someone more than ten times…who is that desperate to leave the island…?_ However, Hikari already knew the answer to that question. She watched everyone carefully as they all started their investigations.  _It could be anyone…_

Hikari closed her eyes again before slapping her cheeks with her hands.  _Gotta focus…I need to see if I can contact Togami-san…_  She knelt down again, positioning herself in front of the back table with Byakuya's body underneath it. Mahiru was standing by the closest circular table, placing photos on the tabletop. Mikan was near as well, going over the Monokuma File in more detail before starting her autopsy. Hikari noticed Gundham at the other end of the room, looking frantic.  _Oh right…he lost his earring, I think…_  Hajime and Nagito were still in the room as well, Hajime taking the time before Mikan's autopsy to look at the scene himself.

Hikari scrunched her face a bit, the rusted smell reaching her nose. She had been in the presence of dead bodies but only during wakes or funerals where the deceased were dressed up and surrounded by floral scents. Hikari was approached by the police a few times to aid them in solving cases by talking to murder victims, but her parents never allowed her to be exposed to such things. They didn't want their only surviving daughter to be traumatized by such violent scenes.  _Yet, here I am now…in front of a murdered friend…_  the Spirit Medium thought morosely, closing her eyes and letting out a tired sigh.

Hikari just started to empty her mind and began to concentrate when she heard Hajime's voice. She opened her eyes and felt her cheeks heat up when she realized how close the boy was to her. He really wasn't too close to her from another's perspective, but to Hikari it felt like he was almost on top of her. Hajime blinked, a bit confused. "Seishin-san?" He was standing in front of the back table, leaning down towards the Spirit Medium. "Did you hear me?"

Hikari cleared her throat, fumbling with her necklace. "U-um…no…sorry…Can you tell me again?" She suddenly had the desire to want an Invisibility talent to hide the intensity of her embarrassment.

Hajime, still looking at her curiously before standing up straight and pointing at the top of the table in front of them. "Is that your drink?"

Hikari blinked a couple of times, snapping out of her self-pity, following his hand to the tabletop. "Oh…Yeah, it is…or was…I think it spilled during the blackout."

Hajime looked deep in thought, his eyes taking in the tipped glass and the lamp silently. He turned back to Hikari and knelt to one knee in order to have the same eye level as her. "Can you tell me what you experienced during the blackout?"

A nervous knot started to form in the pit of her stomach. "W-why?" the bespectacled girl asked tensely. "Are you suspecting me since I was the closest to the table?" She bit her lip, staring into his eyes, hoping that wasn't the case.

"U-uh…not exactly…" he started, not wanting to admit his suspicions concerning everyone. "I'm asking everyone about their alibis. I'm looking for the truth, that's all." Hikari looked down at her lap quietly. Hajime frowned, about to open his mouth to apologize for upsetting her until she finally spoke up.

"I was standing by my drink when the lights went out…" Hikari explained softly. Hajime shut his mouth and listened carefully to her words to see if there might be a clue hiding in her testimony. "I stood completely still since if I didn't move, I would know where I was in the room while everyone was probably running around panicking. I heard voices, but I couldn't really distinguish whose was whose…except Togami…I can't really recall what he said; I don't think it was a lot though. Then I remember being shoved to my right…falling on my side and losing my glasses in the process. I crawled on my hands and knees to feel for them until the lights came back on." Hikari looked at Hajime sadly. "I'm sorry…that's all I can recollect…"

Hajime knelt there, staring downwards as if staring off into space before realizing she stopped talking. He smiled, "Thank you, Seishin-san. I appreciate you telling me. It might come in handy during the trial." Hikari's lips curved upwards slightly before going back to an empty state of mind to communicate with Togami-san. Suddenly, she heard a loud shout right next to her. She immediately jumped, snapping her eyes wide open, looking around frantically. Hikari scrunched her face even more, the deathly odor getting stronger as she saw Hajime had lifted the tablecloth to inspect Togami's corpse.

"Hinata-san! You scared the hell out of me!" Hikari whined, fixing her skewed glasses with one hand, the other hand over her chest as if it would calm her racing heart. Hajime smiled weakly at her, feeling somewhat embarrassed.

"S-sorry…" he said quietly before turning his gaze back to underneath the table. "Why…why did he have to end up like this…?" Hikari frowned, looking at what was Togami…their leader…their friend… "…for Togami-san's sake…" Hajime whispered, his demeanor slowly becoming more determined. "…is to uncover the truth behind his death!"

The girl beside him smiled a little and nodded. "R-right."

Hikari watched silently as Hajime looked over Togami's body, glancing at the Monokuma File every so often. She couldn't help but stare at him as he seemed focused on his task that she almost didn't hear his question. "…Could this be glowing paint?"

"Paint?" Hikari blinked, confused until Hajime pointed at the piece of duct tape stuck to the back of the table. The non-sticky side of the tape was colored in a neon green. "Um…it looks like it might…"  _But why…?_   She scanned around Togami's body to find a cooking knife in front of him. Hikari began to etch the knife into her memory.

"It's possible that they stole this knife from the case…" Hajime started to theorize, a hand on his chin.

"Or…maybe they hid it somewhere hard to find," Hikari suggested. "Look closely at the knife's handle. It has the same green paint as the duct tape. Those two clues have to be connected."

Hajime nodded, his eyes still searching the scene. "That could be it…but we need to find more clues to figure out what exactly happened." Hikari hummed in agreement and guessed that was the perfect time to stop getting distracted and try helping out with the investigation in her own way. She scooted a few feet away from the crime scene as Nagito walked over to Hajime to give some input about the googles near Togami and the knife. Hikari closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths, trying, for the third time, to start to communicate with Togami's spirit.

After what seemed like hours but was only minutes, Hikari frowned, opening her eyes. She rubbed her temples, her mind feeling fuzzy.  _It's no use…is it really gone? I can't communicate with ghosts anymore?_   She slowly got up to her feet, dejected.

"Hey, Seishin. Mind helping me with this?" Hikari blinked, turning around to see Mahiru smiling softly at her, the shorter girl unaware that the redhead saw her obvious frustration. "I want to make sure I drew this accurately."

"Huh? Uh…sure…" Hikari said as she walked over to the Photographer, curiosity bringing some pep back into her. "What are you drawing?"

Mahiru pointed at a hand-drawn diagram of the old building, the rough sketch positioned below the two pictures she had taken right before the blackout.

Hikari smiled. "Wow, the building layout looks pretty accurate." The sketch even had the back table's lamp and cord. Mahiru's lips curved upwards sheepishly.

"I…just don't want to leave out any details…that's all…" Hikari's eyes glanced over to the redhead who looked a bit embarrassed by the unexpected praise. The blush on the Photographer's cheeks didn't last as she moved her finger between her pictures and the sketch. "Can you double–check everyone's positions? I can't afford to make any mistakes since our lives are on the line…"

Hikari nodded solemnly and began looking at the table's contents closely. She was looking at the picture with the back table that had the lamp when her ears picked up Hajime's voice.

"Did you find out anything, Tsumiki-san?"

Hikari closed her eyes, releasing a breath she didn't know she held.  _What is wrong with me? Why do I react like this whenever Hinata's around? Is this really infatuation? This is really ridiculous; I have bigger problems to deal with…like this murder…_  Hikari stared at the sketch, but her mind was not following her eyes, but her ears instead.

"…It can be assumed that…a very thin, sharp object around…5 mm in diameter…was…used to…stab…him…over…and over…again…which is what…I…believe…Ugh…Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" Mikan sobbed loudly, unable to hold it in any longer.

Hikari blinked.  _A sharp object…5 mm in diameter…then it's not the knife with the glow paint...?_   Her eyebrows furrowed in deep thought.  _What is the murder weapon then?_

Mahiru's sharp voice scared Hikari to the point that she might've pulled a muscle when her body went frigid. "Hey, you're here! Where the hell did you wander off to?"

Hikari turned her head to her friend, but realized that Mahiru wasn't looking at the Spirit Medium, but towards someone behind her.

Hikari restrained herself from jolting a second time when she faced Mahiru's target. Hajime stared at Mahiru with an annoyed look. "I wasn't wandering…I was investigating as much as I could."

Mahiru eyed the boy suspiciously before letting up. "I see…Well, if you weren't slacking off, then I guess that's fine."

Hikari saw Hajime was definitely trying to keep his patience with the Photographer. "So…" Hajime started slowly. "Did you find anything?"

Mahiru frowned, looking at her pictures. "Yeah…sorta…"

"…You don't sound so sure."

"Well, just take a look at this." Mahiru gestured to the pictures and the drawing. "Just as you told me…using the two photos I took before the blackout…I tried to pinpoint where everyone was standing…When I did this, this diagram was the result. Seishin made sure I didn't mess up on everyone's positions."

Hajime's eyebrow raised a little, just noticing Hikari. "Okay…Seishin-san, since you're here, did you have any luck in trying to come in contact with Togami-san's…Ow!" Hajime yelped, rubbing his arm after Mahiru sharply elbowed him, not noticing Hikari's expression sadden.

Mahiru smiled innocently as she got Hajime's attention again. "Anyway…! What do you think about this?" Her index finger poked at the sketch of the old hotel building.

Hajime scowled a bit at the redheaded girl before casting his eyes to the table. "So this is everyone's standing position before the blackout…Everyone's pretty much in the dining hall."

Mahiru watched Hikari briefly before continuing her conversation with Hajime. "I've made this diagram from analyzing these photos, so I'm pretty sure it's accurate."

Hajime took in as much of the diagram as he can into his memory. His eyes stopped at who was near that table before the blackout.  _She can't be ruled out…especially if she was that close to the table…Could she have flung her glasses nearby and make it seem like she was looking for them after she killed Togami-san?_   Hajime thought to himself. "Huh…? What's this line extending from the table where Togami-san was killed?"

"Um…It's the desk lamp. I drew the power cord for it just in case." Mahiru stared at Hajime curiously when Hajime became silent again. "Hey…did you find something?"

Hajime hummed a bit. "It's not clear to me yet, but…"

Mahiru frowned slightly. "I guess…you're right…I didn't really understand it myself when I was drawing it…that's why I asked Seishin to look at it as another set of eyes in case I missed anyone or anything." Hikari nodded in agreement, seeming to recover from the blow to her ego. "I have a feeling that it's either a potential clue…or just a waste of labor…" Mahiru finished with a sigh.

"No, it wasn't a waste at all," Hajime stated assertively.

Mahiru and Hikari looked at him in surprise. "Hm…?" Mahiru blurted.

*Ding dong, bing bong*

Everyone in the room looked up as the bell chimed throughout the room. They all turned to the monitor as it turned on all on its own. They weren't surprised to see Monokuma front and center on the screen. "Alrighty, guys, it's finally time! That's right," Monokuma exclaimed. "It's time for the long-awaited class trial!" Hikari swore her heart was sliding down to meet her stomach when she heard Monokuma's voice. "Now then, I shall tell you all the meeting place. At the central island of Jabberwock Island, there is a mountain with my adorable face carved into it. That, my friends, is Monokuma Rock! Once you're there, please proceed to the underground by taking the elevator located at the secret entrance." Monokuma started giggling, barely holding in his excitement, the contents of his glass swishing around, threatening to spill out. "Puhuhuhu, I'll see you soon!" With that said, the screen turned off.

The atmosphere in the room was so thick that Hikari was sure a butcher knife would have trouble slicing through. It took a few moments for the teens to walk out of the room, dreading what they were forced to accomplish shortly. Reaching the doorway into the hallway, Hikari turned back to look upon the dining hall, and Byakuya's body, one last time.

_Togami-san…no, Byakuya…please rest in peace. We will find your killer or literally die trying_ , the Spirit Medium mentally prayed, feeling her eyes start to burn from unshed tears. Suddenly she felt someone hold her hand gently, Hikari finding the one responsible was Chiaki. The Gamer studied Hikari's face quietly before giving a solemn nod.

"Let's go."

"…Yeah."

When everyone was walking across the bridge to the central island, Hikari noticed a couple people absent.  _Tanaka-san and Kuzuryuu-san aren't with us…what will happen to those who don't show up for the trial…?_   She gave an involuntary shiver, not even wanting to think about outcome of not coming to something Monokuma mandated.

They reached their destination, some people noticing what was in front of them for the first time: a mountain with four Monokuma heads as their peaks.

"Huh…?" Kazuichi blinked at the rock formation a couple of times before freaking out. "Hey, what the heck is that mountain!? Wh-when did that get there!?" Hikari wasn't too surprised by it; she noticed a strange mountain on the way to Jabberwock Park when the group was summoned there by Byakuya the morning they found the object that was counting down. The bespectacled girl thought it might have just been her imagination since she was sleep-deprived that morning. However, here she was in front of the parody of Mount Rushmore.

Peko stared at it apprehensively. "That story…might be true after all. There might be an enormous organization involved in all this…"

Hajime glanced at the Swordswoman. "You mean…what Togami-said before, right?"

Sonia frowned dejectedly. "Togami-san…we still needed his knowledge…"

"Tch…!" Nekomaru gripped his fist, closing his eyes. "I still can't believe he's dead!" Ibuki stood near Chiaki and Hikari, foaming at the mouth, tears falling down her face, muttering Togami's name over and over. Chiaki tilted her head towards the Musician before scanning her eyes over the crowd, voicing Hikari's earlier mental question.

"What…happened to Tanaka-san and Kuzuryuu-san?"

Everyone started looking around themselves, Mikan nervously bringing her hands together. "N-now that you mention it…it appears they aren't here yet…"

Hiyoko jumped with her arms in the air, eyes closed, smiling. "I got it! They probably ran away!"

Hikari had her doubts.  _I don't think so…even if they could, where could they go? There's no possible way off this island._

Monokuma abruptly popped up from nowhere, looking innocent, a paw on the back of his head. "Ah hell naw! There's no way I'd let them escape, you know!" Hikari deadpanned.

_Of course you wouldn't…_

"Look! I dragged this one back over here!" Monokuma exclaimed. That was when everyone saw the bear's black paw holding the back of Fuyuhiko's jacket with Fuyuhiko dragged on the ground behind the stuffed animal.

Fuyuhiko struggled, eyes glaring daggers at Monokuma. "Don't fuck with me! I-I'm tellin' you, let me go!"

Monokuma nonchalantly released the Gangster before twirling around toward him, brandishing his claws, looking not too happy himself. "Hey now, if you keep acting violent, I might just eat you up."

Mahiru placed her hands on her hips, looking stern towards Fuyuhiko. "Hey Kuzuryuu-san! What were you doing all this time!?"

The blonde male put his hands in his pockets, an eyebrow raised. "Nothing…I wasn't really doing anything. I was just chilling in my room when I suddenly heard that fat bastard got killed…" He took his hands out of his pockets to cross his arms, turning away from the group. "Tch…Who the fuck cares about that anyway?"

Hikari frowned, the feeling to interject and tell Fuyuhiko off was starting to boil up inside her. However, Mahiru blurted out, "Why you…How can you say something so irresponsible…!?" She stepped near him, pointing her finger at the boy. "Do you understand!? We've been doing our best to investigate this murder, even though we don't want to, just to survive!" Hikari stepped back cautiously.

_Definitely do not get Koizumi angry…_

Nagito raised his hands up, walking in between the two arguing. "Koizumi-san, that's enough… You too, Kuzuryuu-san…" He looked back and forth between the two.

Fuyuhiko sneered. "Tch…! Dumbass…!" Nevertheless, he left it at that.

Akane itched near her eye, both eyes closed, seeming to be oblivious to the tension next to her. "…And I'm guessin' we're waitin' for Tanaka-san?"

"…I am right here." Hikari turned to her right to find Gundham standing nearby, looking smug with his arms crossed. He opened his eyes and struck a pose with his arms. "Remember well! A main character arrives when he intends to!" The Spirit Medium sweatdropped as Gundham crossed his arms and laughed maniacally as Nagito and Hajime talked to each other briefly in hushed voices. Hikari glanced at them curiously until Monokuma distracted them all with his high-pitched despair-filling voice.

"All right, now that everyone's all together…Let's take the secret entrance to the trial field!"

Suddenly, Monomi jumped up out of nowhere. "Wait! P-please wait a second!"

Monokuma tilted his head in wonder. "…My my, Monomi. Just what are you doing here? Nobody asked for you."

Monomi stood her ground, her eyes narrowed in determination. "I-I…I…"

"Wha-what? Do you actually want to join in~?" Monokuma asked before he put his paws together over his mouth to hold back laughter. "Do you want to taste how powerless you are at the class trial? You're an even bigger masochist than I thought…" He started laughing out loud, his paws dropping to his stomach. "Oh well! I'm a big brother who dotes on his little sister. I shall allow your special participation!" Monomi continued to stand there, staring at the bear, her guard still up as Monokuma waved at the teenagers. "I'll go on ahead and wait for you guys, so hurry over!" As soon as Monokuma disappeared, Monokuma Rock and the area around it began to shake as a roar bellowed into the air.

"What the…!? Something's…shaking…!?" Hajime exclaimed as everyone started to panic, trying to keep themselves balanced as the ground shook.

"Uwaa!" Monomi cried. "Th-This is dangerous! Everyone, please get down!" The second Monokuma head on Monokuma Rock quaked violently before it abruptly opened its mouth to allow a long escalator to emerge like a tongue, the end of the escalator landing with a huge thud in front of the group of uneasy students. Nobody moved, staring at yet another phenomenon of the island.

Mikan jumped back with a shriek. "S-Something came out!?"

"Could it be…Is he telling us to enter it?" Peko asked out loud, taking a defensive stance cautiously. Hikari was even surprised to see Gundham looking terrified, his four hamsters cowering in their perches somewhere on the Breeder's body.

"S-Such a suspicious aura…! Even the Crimson Steel Elephant Maga-Z is trembling in fear…!"

Many of the others also expressed their concern and disbelief of the situation until a frazzled Mahiru spoke up. "C-Complaining won't get us anywhere! If you're really a man, then man up for god's sake!" The redhead bit her lip, looking downcast. "We've come this far…We have no choice but to continue moving forward…"

Hajime nodded slowly. "You're right…There's nowhere for us to run…We need to do it…"

"If that's everyone's decision…I'll just follow you guys," Chiaki said nonchalantly before looking serious at the escalator. "If there were a video game, it'd have a very high level of difficulty…Let's do our best to clear the game."

Hikari frowned, a hand on her opposite arm, not feeling comfortable at all about this.  _But this…this isn't a video game…this might cost everyone their lives…Why can't I be of more use for this? I have the title of SHSL Spirit Medium, damnit!_

Monomi stood nearby quietly with tears in her eyes as everyone started to step onto the escalator. Hikari glanced around to find that the moving steps led them to an elevator. Once everyone was inside the steel-gated elevator, it started to move downwards.

"This…is an elevator!" exclaimed Nekomaru in astonishment from a back corner. "I see…! This entire rock is an elevator!"

Chiaki frowned, standing near the door. "Once again…Monokuma is doing as he pleases…"

Peko crossed her arms, positioned in the back between Mikan and Hiyoko. "However, if he's gone this far and made something like this…I don't think he's playing around."

Akane stood next to Chiaki, staring ahead at the door. "Even so, we're goin' pretty deep."

"You're right…" Hajime agreed quietly. He was standing behind Akane, obviously trying to remain calm. Hikari stood right next to him, eyeing him worriedly despite feeling like she was about to jump out of her skin at a moment's notice. The rest of the journey to the trial room continued in complete silence, the elevator's unpleasant roars as it plunged lower the only noise to the teenagers' ears. After what felt like a lifetime, the elevator gradually stopped with a sharp ding. The steel gated doors slowly opened to reveal the trial room to its participants.

Days Left: 19  
Survivors: 16


	8. Class Trial...Start!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first Class Trial (Part 1 of 2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This class trial is going to be in two parts only because as one chapter, the trial was getting to page 40 and I was only 75% done. The second part will come up soon depending on my motivation. Please enjoy!

The students walked out and visually inspected the décor of the room.  The room itself was enormous to the point that it resembled an amphitheater.  Hikari felt like she traveled back in time to ancient Rome and was about to be executed in a gladiator game.  The only thing that proved otherwise was a huge iPad-like structure above one of the entrances to the arena.  In the middle of the arena was a set of podiums situated in a circle facing each other.  There was also a golden throne nearby the wooden podiums, the seat adorned with soft red upholstery with the black and white bear sitting upon it haughtily.

Monokuma’s creepily high-pitched voice rang out.  “Okayyy!  Welcome!”  He grinned as he gestured around him.  “This is the class trial field!  How do you like it?  This is a special place that will decide your fates!”

Fuyuhiko gritted his teeth, scowling at the stuffed animal.  “Tch…what the hell is he thinking!?...Locking us up in a shitty looking place like this…!”  He clenched his fists, trembling in anger.  “Are you fuckin’ crazy!?  Don’t fuck with me, asshole!”  Monokuma only giggled at that.

“Puhuhu…Complain all you like, I’m used to it by now.”  He then laughed abruptly, his paws on his belly as he leaned his head back before continuing on.  “C’mon, you’re wasting your time and energy.  Hurry up and take your seats where your names are written!”  The wary teens glanced at each other before slowly finding their assigned places.

Hikari bit the inside of her cheek as she found her podium.  The podium to her right was empty save for a memorial picture of Byakuya Togami.  _T-Togami…_   The Spirit Medium swore she literally felt her heart travel up to her throat.

“Seishin?” a soft voice whispered as Hikari felt a gentle touch on her left arm.  She twirled to find Chiaki watching her with concern.  “It’ll be okay.  We can do this…for Togami-san.”

It took all of Hikari’s energy to fight back the tears prickling behind her eyes and nod.  “Y-yeah…” _What other choice do we have…?_ Hikari stepped up to her podium and felt a wave of relief as Chiaki stood to her left, looking determined.  Hikari had no clue she was situated right across from Hajime until Monokuma started talking.

“Now then, let’s begin with a simple explanation of the class trial.  During the class trial, you will present your arguments for who the killer is, and vote for ‘whodunit.’  If you vote correctly, then only the blackened will receive punishment.  But if you pick the wrong person…I’ll punish everyone **besides** the blackened, and that person will earn the right to leave the island!”

“S-Such a cruel rule…!” Monomi’s high-pitched voice trembled in sadness from Hikari’s right.  The raven-haired girl turned her head to see the rabbit tied up and hanging from the ceiling besides Monokuma on his throne.  Hikari sweatdropped, but a part of her was not surprised at all.  Nagito’s smooth voice snapped her back to the matter at hand.

“Before we begin, I’d like to confirm one thing.  Is there really a killer among us?”

Monokuma nodded.  “Most definitely…  There’s no doubt that the blackened is lurking among you.  Such a sad state of affairs, isn’t it?  By the way, this class trial is gonna be 100 percent fair, so don’t worry.”  He placed his paws over his mouth.  “I’m the type who hates favoritism and prejudice…Well, not as much as I hate Monomi, of course.”

Monomi looked so downtrodden when hearing that.  “You hate me that much!?”

Ignoring her, the bear raised his black paw.  “Now let’s get started!”

Mikan frowned, looking nervous.  “Y-you’re telling us to begin…but what are we supposed to do?”

Hikari crossed her arms.  “Yeah, it’s not like we have any experiences with trial proceedings…”

Akane cracked her knuckles.  “Then how about we settle this with our fists?”

Kazuichi facepalmed.  “Didn’t you even listen to the rules?”

Fuyuhiko grinned.  “Didn’t that Togami bastard get killed in the dining hall, huh?  Then everyone there is a fuckin’ suspect.”

“Yeah, yeah.  What you’re really trying to say is that you’re not the killer, right?” Mahiru sighed.

“No shit…  You guys went off on one of your own and started killing each other.  This has nothing to do with me…”

“Huh?  What does that mean?”

“A-Anyway…” Nagito interrupted meekly.  “Why don’t we try talking about the most pressing issue on our minds?”

Teruteru blinked, confused.  “Huh?  The most pressing issue on our minds…?”

“Where we found the body,” Nagito said matter-of-factly.  “It’s very strange to find a body underneath a table.”

“Then…let’s start with that mystery,” Chiaki suggested.

Everyone had an opinion about this and took a few minutes to have their voices heard.  Hajime finally spoke up, countering Kazuichi’s theory that Byakuya’s body was moved to underneath the table.  “No…I don’t think the killer moved the body.”

The Mechanic scratched his cheek.  “…Huh? Why?”

Nagito placed his hand his chin as if recalling a memory.  “Try to remember what the body looked like when we found it underneath the table…”

Hikari closed her eyes for a mental image, frowning.  “His body was covered in a lot of blood…”

The white-haired male nodded.  “Yes…Though there was a lot of blood everywhere, there was no sign the killer actually dragged the body through it.”

Mahiru blinked.  “So that’s why you think it’s impossible that the killer moved the body…I see, I get your point.”  Kazuichi, as expected, became dejected once his theory was debunked.

Ibuki frowned in confusion.  “But if there killer didn’t move the body, why was it under the table?”

“Togami-san was probably…killed under the table,” Hajime said slowly as if still piecing his own notion together.

Nekomaru looked at him alarmed.  “What…?  You think he was killed under the table!?”

Hikari bowed her head down slightly.  “Well…nobody saw blood anywhere else in the room, correct?”  After a couple of moments passed with no definitive response, she continued.  “Since we only saw blood under that table, Hinata-san’s claim seems very likely.”

“So Togami-san snuck under the table for reasons unknown, and that’s when he was killed…” Nagito stated, trying to progress the trial.  “Then, shortly thereafter, we found his body under the table.”

“That does make sense, but…why did he go under the table?” Nekomaru questioned.

Once again, everyone started sounding off ideas, none of which made any sense in Hikari’s mind considering Byakuya’s personality.

“The reason why…is probably connected to what Togami-san was doing during the party, don’t you think?” Nagito implied.

Hikari pushed up her glasses, feeling them slide down the bridge of her nose.  _Think…what was underneath the table during the party…?_   Hikari blinked.  “Oh!  The knife!”

Hajime fixed his gaze towards Hikari.  “So you think it’s because of the knife we found under the table too, Seishin-san?”

“Mmm…Togami-san must’ve noticed the knife was hidden under there…so to confiscate it, he moved under the table to get it,” Hikari reasoned.  _But…we’re missing something here…how would he notice that…and especially during the blackout…?_

Chiaki tilted her head to the side.  “Instead of knowing about it beforehand, maybe he saw it right at that moment…?  Like, for example, maybe he saw someone trying to take the knife out from under the table…?”

“No, that’s not possible,” Peko proclaimed, arms crossed.  “I have proof to back me up.”

Monokuma began giggling.  “Puhuhu!  This is almost like a real trial!”

Hikari deadpanned.  _I highly doubt that…_

Peko calmly explained, “I’m sure Togami-san ducked under the table during the blackout.”

“If that’s the case…” Hiyoko said. “During the blackout, Mr. Ham Hands…must’ve seen the killer take the knife…”

Ibuki interrupted loudly.  “But it was super pitch black!”

Akane smiled in a carefree manner.  “Yeah, it was so dark I couldn’t see my food!”

“Togami-san couldn’t see in the dark, either…I doubt he could have seen the killer,” Peko asserted.

“No, you’re wrong,” Hajime countered.  “He was probably the only one who was able to see in the dark.”

“…Why do you say that?”

“If he was using those night-vision goggles I found under the table, he could’ve seen what was happening.”

“So…are you saying that it was Togami-san who used the night-vision goggles?” Peko asked, surprised.

“…Yeah,” Hajime replied. “That seems to be the case.”

Mahiru turned to her left to look at Hajime.  “You have it all wrong.  It should be the other way around.  The killer brought the night-vision goggles to the crime scene.”

The boy shook his head.  “No.  Togami-san definitely was the one who brought the night-vision goggles.”

“Then why?”

“Inside the duralumin case Togami-san had with him during the party…I found a smaller case for storing the night-vision goggles.”

Ibuki closed her eyes, her index fingers touching her head as if she was receiving a telepathic message.  “Which means we can assume that the night-vision goggles were kept inside that duralumin case as well…”  She suddenly jumped for joy.  “Wahoo!  I said ‘assume!’  Ibuki never uses such clever language!”

“So, Togami-san was the only one who had access to the night-vision goggles since he had the key to the duralumin case…” Hikari thought out loud.

“And he was carrying it around before the blackout in the first place,” Hajime added.

“Then, was that knife inside the case, too?” Teruteru asked.  “If there were night-vision goggles inside, it wouldn’t be weird for a knife to be in there, too!”

Chiaki tilted her head.  “It **would** be weird.”

Teruteru chuckled nervously.  “I **am** weird, aren’t I…?  At times like these, I’d rather be fantasizing about…tonight’s ‘main dish’…”

Half of the people present either sighed heavily or sweatdropped at that statement.

Hiyoko shrieked, her hands on her head.  “Ewwwww!  You totally mean that in a perverted way!”

“There was duct tape left under the table where the body was found,” Hajime responded to Teruteru’s suggestion that the knife was in the duralumin case.

Teruteru blinked, shocked.  “…Huh? Duct tape?”

Hikari nodded in confirmation.  “I saw it too.  The duct tape was still hanging onto the underside of the table when we came upon the scene.  The killer probably hid the knife by duct taping it there.”

“So…that’s why we found the duct tape there,” Mikan said quietly, her hands clasped together in front of her.

Nekomaru crossed his arms.  “Though Togami-san was thorough, even he couldn’t have noticed a weapon taped to the underside of the table…”

Peko looked thoughtful before speaking up again.  “…This may be off-topic, but why was Togami-san acting so paranoid?  Not only did he bring a self-defense kit, but he had night-vision goggles inside the case as well…”

“That’s true!  He went above and beyond being a little cautious…!”

Mahiru frowned.  “Now that you mention it…That applies to the dangerous items he confiscated too.”  She sweatdropped slightly.  “It’s one thing to be a bit cautious, but performing a body check was a bit much!”  Hikari couldn’t help but agree with the Photographer; that moment definitely made her feel awkward and a bit violated.

“He probably knew,” Nagito started, “that someone was planning to commit a murder…”

Gundham appeared taken aback.  “Are you saying that he predicted the murder!?  Could it be…?  Was he also in possession of the All-Seeing Eye…?”

Ignoring Gundham’s antics, Nagito turned to Hajime with a smile.  “You think so too, right Hinata?”

Hajime took out a folded piece of paper and held it out.  “Everyone…Can you please take a look at this?”

Hikari read out loud, “‘Be careful.  The first kill will happen tonight.  Someone will definitely kill someone’…What is this? A warning…?”

“Hinata and I found this in Togami-san’s cottage,” the Luckster explained.

Hajime looked very serious.  “It looks like a threatening letter someone sent to him.”

Everyone looked at the letter with apprehension.  “So who’s the someone?” Akane asked.

Hiyoko giggled with a nervous grin.  “Nobody besides Monokuma would write such a dumb, threatening letter like that…”

Monokuma tilted his head, a paw to his cheek innocently.  “Wasn’t me!”

Even while tied up and hanging by rope, Monomi placed a paw to her own cheek.  “…Are you sure?”

The bear put his paws to his mouth and said cheerfully, “The only lies I tell are friendly lies!”

“Those are still lies!” Monomi squeaked, arms in the air, looking panicked.

“It doesn’t matter who wrote it yet,” Peko declared.  “So, Togami-san became paranoid because of this threatening letter?”

“He probably decided to throw a party because of the letter,” Nagito supposed.

Teruteru cocked an eyebrow, a hand on his chin.  “…What do you mean?”

“By gathering everyone in one place, he tried to create a situation where everyone could keep tabs on each other,” Nagito clarified.  “In doing so, he tried to put the writer of the letter in a situation where they couldn’t act out their intentions.”

“But the letter might’ve been a little prank…”

“As long as he was determined not to let any of us die, he couldn’t take that risk…His strong sense of responsibility…made him believe that the letter was legitimate.”

Nekomaru gripped a fist in frustration.  “Tch!  He should’ve told us he received a threatening letter…!”

Nagito glanced down sadly.  “If he had, we would’ve panicked…Togami-san probably knew that, too.”

“So…” Sonia began to speak.  “He tried to do something about it without telling anyone?”

Peko grimaced slightly.  “I see…His strong sense of responsibility as our leader was his undoing…”

Akane started cracking her knuckles, growing impatient.  “Tch!  Screw the noise! Who the hell wrote that damn letter!?”

“Well, obviously the killer…” Mahiru answered.

Others were beginning to become restless.  Gundham scowled, “Hmph, enough already!  Show yourself, you coward!”

Hikari frowned a little.  _That’s impossible in this death game, right?  If the killer did reveal themselves, that’s an instant death sentence…there’s no way anyone here would do that._

“Um…Pardon me,” Sonia addressed to everyone in the room.  “May I say something, please?”

Kazuichi grinned happily.  “…What is it, Sonia-san?”

“I regret that I must return to this topic, but…I just realized something concerning the night-vision goggles.  If Togami-san was indeed wearing the goggles…how did the killer manage to navigate in the dark?”

Hikari furrowed her eyebrows.  _I feel like I should know this…I feel like the answer’s within my grasp…_

Nekomaru stood behind of his podium eyes closed and arms crossed.  “Even if the knife bore some sort of mark…it would’ve been difficult to see it in that darkness.”

 _A mark on the knife!_ Hikari felt her breath sucked away as Nekomaru unknowingly reminded her that important clue she discovered with Hajime.  She slammed her hands on the podium, blurting out, “The glowing paint on the knife!”  A few people jumped in surprise, everyone staring at the Spirit Medium.  Hikari felt her heart thumping in her chest and her body trembled with the adrenaline rushing through her veins as she felt everyone’s eyes piercing at her.  “The knife had glowing neon green paint…on the handle.”

Hajime took over from there.  “With that, you’d be able to get the knife even in the dark.  In actuality, the knife we found under the table…”

“…and the duct tape stuck to the underside of the table…were both marked with glowing neon paint,” Hikari finished Hajime’s train of thought.

Mikan looked back and forth between Hajime and Hikari.  “Does that mean…the killer painted them in advance?”

Hikari licked her dry lips, looking at the central space to focus her thoughts.  _It seems highly likely...when else would they do it?_

“But painting them with glowing paint…?” the Photographer asked in disbelief.  “It’s as if they knew that the blackout was going to happen.”

Chiaki held up her index finger.  “They had to have already known.  That’s why they used the glowing paint as a mark.”

“…Which means whoever set up the blackout is the killer!” Hiyoko surmised smugly.

Kazuichi scowled, hand on his hip.  “That seals it.  The killer is whoever was in the office with the circuit breaker…”  He clenched both fists confidently.  “…Which means it was you Pekoyama Peko!”

Hikari gaped at this accusation, her eyes darting from Kazuichi to the stoic young woman standing right next to him.  _Wait…what!?_   Even Peko was taken aback.

“…I am not the killer,” Peko stated calmly despite her surprised reaction.

Akane shrugged nonchalantly.  “…Oh.  I guess she’s not.”

“…How can you believe her so easily!?” shouted the pink haired teen.

“But…” stammered Mikan.  “With Pekoyama-san’s height, I don’t think she’d be able to reach the circuit breaker in the office…”

“I-I don’t care about a technicality like that!  Pekoyama-san’s the one who tripped the circuit breaker and caused the blackout!”

Peko shifted uncomfortably.  “That’s impossible…I wasn’t in the office…not even before the blackout.”

Hajime nodded in agreement.  “I think Pekoyama-san is telling the truth.”

Kazuichi placed a hand on his hip, scowling.  “Hm-hmmm, don’t tell me you’re crushin’ on Pekoyama-san?”  Hikari felt warmth covering her cheeks, but only briefly.

“I-It’s nothing like that at all…!” Hajime quickly fired back, unknowingly giving Hikari a wave of relief.  “Nidai-san’s account is actually Pekoyama-san’s alibi!”

Nekomaru nodded solemnly.  “It’s true, someone was occupying the bathroom for a long time shortly after the party started…It was finally freed up… **after** Togami-san’s body was discovered.”

“Ah!” Mahiru gasped.  “Then the person who was in the bathroom the whole time was actually…!?”

“Everyone else besides Pekoyama-san was in the dining hall after the party began, right?” Hajime asked.  They all nodded excluding Fuyuhiko who didn’t show up to the party.

Hiyoko blinked.  “I see…So there’s no way anybody else could’ve locked themselves in the bathroom except Pekoyama-san.”

“I-I guess that would be true…” Peko said quietly, still looking uneasy about this discussion.

“Y-You locked yourself in the commode!?” Kazuichi exclaimed.  “You should’ve said so earlier!”  At this, most of the girls and even a couple boys sweatdropped at Kazuichi’s lack of tact.

Mahiru glowered towards the Mechanic, hands on her hips, being the one to voice the general consensus of the group.  “There’s no way she’d actually say that!  Gosh, you are **so** insensitive!”

“If she locked herself in the bathroom for that long, there’s no doubt…It’s shit,” declared Nekomaru matter-of-factly before he suddenly started to laugh loudly.  “GAH-HAHAHAHA!  Aw, there’s no way that she’d admit it!  There’s no way she’d admit she was taking a shit!”

Hikari sighed quietly.  _And we have our lives on the line here…we really should get serious…_   “Can we please stop talking about this and move onto something else?” the Spirit Medium asked, her voice giving away a hint of annoyance.

Nekomaru turned to Peko reassuringly.  “Don’t worry, the smell wasn’t **that** strong!  I used the bathroom right after you, so you can trust me!”  At that moment, Hikari felt like smashing her face against her podium.

Hiyoko smirked towards Peko, holding back giggles.  “But still, you were in the bathroom for a really long time.  Did you get food poisoning or something?”

“As soon as I stepped into the office, I felt this sudden rush of pain in my stomach…” Peko replied.  “Because of that, I was unable to leave the bathroom…Including when…the blackout occurred…”

A sparkle lit up in Teruteru’s eyes.  “Hey, how did it feel to do your business in the dark?  Did you get…excited?”  Hikari swore if the shenanigans continued any further that she felt that she might be liable to become the next blackened right there, her eyebrow twitching.

Fuyuhiko glanced at the Swordswoman.  “But still, your stomach pain…Was that really just a coincidence?”

“Hey, what’s the deal?” Mahiru huffed.  “Don’t butt into other people’s business, especially if you didn’t do any investigating.”

Hikari held back a heavy sigh.  _Here we go again…_ she thought, waiting for an impending shouting match between the Photographer and the Yakuza.  Instead, Fuyuhiko just smirked.

“Heh, I’m only buttin’ in cause you fuckin’ idiots are outta your element,” he taunted.

“Stop this childish nonsense…” Gundham ordered, eyes closed and arms crossed.  “Just what do you mean by ‘coincidence’?” he asked the blonde male.

“What I mean is…Is it possible someone slipped her some laxatives?” Fuyuhiko asked.  “If so, the killer could’ve tripped the breaker as soon as the girl left the office, don’t you think?”

Hikari blinked.  _Huh…never thought about that…_

Hajime shook his head.  “No, it’s impossible that laxatives were slipped into the food in the dining hall…because…Pekoyama-san wasn’t the only one who ate that food.  Owari-san ate some of it, too.”

“If the food had laxatives in it, I’m pretty sure that Owari-san would’ve had stomach issues as well…” Mahiru pointed out.

Akane grinned wolfishly.  “I feel totally fine!”

Hikari smiled nervously to herself.  _Or you have an iron stomach and can eat anything…_

“Like I said,” Teruteru whimpered, “th-the dishes are innocent!  Don’t go making weird accusations!”

Peko closed her eyes.  “…I apologize for causing a scene.”

“Kuzuryuu-san should apologize, not you!  He’s the one who made the laxative accusation!” Mahiru reassured the silver haired girl.

Hikari stared at the surface of her podium.  _The accusation does make sense though…We have to look at this case at any and all angles…_

Before the short-statured teen could voice her thoughts, Fuyuhiko snarled towards the freckled Photographer, fist clenched tightly.  “What the fuck did you say, bitch!?”

Sonia suddenly held out her hand.  “Cease this bickering!”  Everyone went silent for a couple of moments.

Mikan poked her index fingers together timidly.  “Let’s just dismiss Pekoyama-san’s stomachache as a coincidence…and go back to discussing the blackout…”

The group took a few minutes trying to figure out what exactly caused the blackout.  People bounced around plausible scenarios, but Mahiru’s suggestion of the blackout being caused by a power surge caught some attention.

 “It’s as Mahiru said…” Hajime stated.  “The blackout was caused by a power surge.  Of course, that’s not a coincidence.  Someone caused it intentionally.”

“Which is why those three irons in the storage room were arranged to cause the blackout,” Nagito added.

Hajime turned to the Luckster.  “When you found them right after the blackout, the irons were still on, right?”

Mahiru gasped lightly as if a lightbulb turned on above her head.  “So by leaving those irons on in the storage room, they deliberately caused a power surge.”

“Yeah, it seems that’s how our killer caused the blackout…” Hajime began.

Nekomaru yelled defiantly at the plain looking male, “There’s no way that’s possible!  We all were in the dining hall before the blackout.  Are you saying that someone left before the blackout to turn on the irons in the storage room and come back unnoticed?”

Hajime stood his ground, looking determined.  “The irons are just one reason the blackout occurred, but they weren’t the direct trigger…The direct trigger was when the air conditioners in the dining hall and office clicked on.”

The Team Manager gripped his hair in shock.  “THE AIR CONDITIONERRRRRRRS!?”

“The timers for both air conditioners were set to 11:30 p.m.”

“11:30 p.m.…” Hiyoko muttered before she blinked in realization.  “Mr. Ham Hands died around that time, too!”

“I see…When the timers activated the air conditioners, the breaker was tripped and caused a blackout,” Nekomaru said, frowning before he grinned, relieved now that he finally understood what Hajime meant.  “I see!  I understand!  Indubitably!”

Sonia blinked, very surprised.  “…Indubitably!?”

Nagito looked pensive.  “They probably checked the old building’s energy usage in advance, and used the irons to nearly max it out.  So once they set the air conditioners’ timers, they just had to wait until they started up on their own…”

“If so, even if Pekoyama-san was in the office, it still would have been possible to cause a blackout.  Indubitably!” Sonia declared confidently, flexing her right bicep.

 Hikari stared at Sonia, holding back a couple of giggles.  _She is just so precious…_

 “Regarding the energy usage…” Chiaki thought out loud.  “They probably asked Monokuma about it.”

 Monokuma covered his mouth with both paws.  “Dun-dun-dunnn!”  Even if his creepy grin was permanent on his face, Hikari was positive that the bear would be smirking until his cheeks hurt.

 Monomi was swinging the rope slightly, not able to do much else.  “Is she right!?  Such a hateful bear…You deserve to die a thousand deaths…!”

“A thousand, you say?  If I died that many times…I might really stay dead, you know…”

Hikari glared at Monokuma.  _Don’t give us that sliver of hope…_

Peko closed her eyes, feeling guilty.  “I couldn’t have prevented the blackout even if I was in the office.  But even so, I feel regret…If I was in the office, I could’ve reset the breaker in time…And maybe the murder wouldn’t have occurred…”

“No,” Nagito said comfortingly.  “The breaker in the office was built into a high area of the wall that’s impossible to reach…Resetting the breaker in that darkness would’ve been impossible, no matter what.”

Fuyuhiko crossed his arms, looking to the side.  “…Sounds like you don’t need to blame yourself.”

Hikari sighed, tapping her foot in anxiety.  “We keep going in circles…At this rate, are we going to find the killer?”

“It’s all right.  You don’t have to worry,” Nagito replied encouragingly.  “Because…they’re just a petty killer, right?  They can’t defeat symbols of hope like you guys!”  Hikari raised an eyebrow, confused as Nagito continued on.  “There’s no way everybody will lose now.  This little incident will just be a stepping stone for you all.  In the end, hope always wins!  That’s what I believe!”

“Komaeda-san…?” Hikari whispered, concerned.

“Wh-What happened to you?” Hajime asked, stunned by the Luckster’s sudden change in behavior.

“Huh? What do you mean?” Nagito asked Hajime innocently.

“Well…you have been saying this whole time that there’s no way a killer could be among us.”

“Oh, is that so?” Nagito spoke with a smile, looking as calm as he did a minute ago.  “Well, let’s just put that minor detail aside for now and talk about the incident.  For now…we found out how the blackout occurred, but the question is **who** caused it, right?  Anybody could’ve hid and set the timers for the air conditioners…Setting up the irons in the storage room could’ve been done before Togami set foot in the old building…What a shame.  Any one of us is capable of that.”

Hikari couldn’t believe what she was hearing.  _What the hell is going on!?  Is this really Komaeda-san?  Could the situation we’re in have finally caused him to break down?  He is pointing out very real possibilities though…_

Nagito sighed, looking discouraged.  “Despite the fact that we’ve discussed this at length, there’s not even one clue that leads to the killer…”  All of a sudden, he went back to his carefree self, smiling casually and looking optimistic.  “But that might be because…there’s no way any of us could be a killer.”

Hajime frowned, very confused.  “Y-You’re changing your story again?”  However, the Luckster carried on, ignoring the plain-looking teen.

“Anyway…  I have an idea about what we should all do at this point.  …Has anyone thought about our situation like this?  Instead of surviving by doubting others, isn’t it better to get killed for believing in others?”

“W-What!?” Hikari gaped at him as the others were becoming restless with unease.

Hajime kept his eyes on the white-haired boy.  “Komaeda-san!  There’s definitely something wrong with you!”

Nagito only chuckled.  “Haha…  You guys only think there’s something wrong with me because there’s something wrong with **you**.  Suspecting each other like this…There’s no way that’s healthy behavior…Let’s stop this already!  We don’t have to find out who the killer is!”  He started to panic.  “I can’t stand this anymore!  I don’t want to do this to my friends!  Especially not to her!”

“Her?” Teruteru whispered, fidgeting nervously.  The group looked at every girl with suspicion.

“Whom may I ask are you implicating?” Sonia asked, her head tilted to the side.

Nagito closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before turning towards Hikari, frowning.  “I’m sorry…I just couldn’t hide it anymore…”

“What are you talking about…?” Hikari asked as everyone looked at her with apprehension.

Nagito sighed, a hand on his hip.  “Drop the act, Seishin-san.  You are Togami-san’s killer.”  Hikari’s face paled as Nagito explained his reasoning.  “You were in front of the back table where Togami was killed when the blackout occurred.”

Hikari shook her head.  “Only because my drink was there.”

Nagito crossed his arms.  “What a coincidence…and were you leaning against the table or something like that too?”  People started muttering to their neighbors or to themselves.

The Spirit Medium bit her bottom lip.  “My hand was on the table when the lights went out so I knew where I would be…”

“So you could get access to the knife, right?”

Hikari closed her eyes tightly, feeling her whole body tremble from stress.  “No!  You’re wrong!”  _Why? Why is he accusing me!?  There was no way I could’ve done this!_

Mahiru looked at the accuser disapprovingly.  “Komaeda-san, let us hear her side.”  Mahiru moved to face Hikari.  “Seishin?” she asked gently like a mother would to a child.

Hikari gazed at the redhead with gratitude, tears burning in her eyes.  “Koizumi…”  The small girl took a staggered breath before reiterating the same story that she told Hajime.  “I was standing by my drink when the lights went out…” Hikari explained as clearly as possible so everyone could hear her.  “I stood completely still since if I didn’t move, I would know where I was in the room while everyone was probably running around panicking.  I heard voices, but I couldn’t really tell whose was whose…except Togami-san…I can’t really recall what he said…Then I remember being shoved to my right…falling on my side and losing my glasses in the process.  I crawled on my hands and knees to feel for them until the lights came back on…That was it.” 

“So, there’s no way you didn’t just toss your glasses aside to make it seem as if you had them knocked off?” Kazuichi questioned the black-haired girl.

Peko eyed the Mechanic through her own glasses.  “I don’t believe so.  There would’ve been possible damage to them if tossed carelessly.  If she had fallen on her side like she says, then the height from where the glasses fell from was almost ground level and not from about Seishin-san’s height.”

“I picked them up,” Hajime said.  “I didn’t see any damage from what I can tell.”

 Hikari took off her red framed glasses to display them to everyone.  “There are no scratches or dents.”

As Hikari placed her glasses back on, she could tell that Nagito was still unconvinced.  He still stared at her, arms crossed.  “All right, but where were you this afternoon before the party?”

Ibuki raised her hand energetically.  “Oh!  Oh!  Ibuki can answer that one!”  Ibuki grinned, hands on her hips, looking very proud.  “Seishin-san was with Ibuki!  We ran around the animal ranch and jumped in the mud!”  Hikari sweatdropped towards Ibuki as everyone’s serious demeanors softened. 

Hiyoko started laughing and pointing at Hikari.  “Guess she wanted to be with her kind!”

“I don’t weigh that much!  I’m only 40 kilograms!” Hikari blushed from embarrassment.

Mahiru smiled.  “So there was no way Seishin could have prepared the planned power surge or the knife with glowing paint beforehand.”

“Yeah…It took a while to clean the mud off of me…” The Spirit Medium slowly felt the nerves fade; she never had anyone stand up for her except her sister.  Yet here she was, being defended by people she only met a couple of days ago.  She smiled gently, her eyes watering up.  “Thank you everyone…for believing in me…even though I…can’t use my talent.”  Hikari’s smile saddened.

Hajime smiled heartily.  “Hey…you tried your best at contacting Togami-san, right?  You also investigated the crime scene with Komaeda-san and me and helped Koizumi-san with plotting out everyone’s locations at the time of the blackout.  Plus, you’re helping us with the trial.”

Hikari looked down sheepishly, her face burning up.  “I guess you’re right…”

Fuyuhiko frowned, a hand on his hip.  “Didn’t we just go around in yet another damn circle?  This is starting to get really fuckin’ annoying…”  Everyone started becoming agitated once more.

“We’re all friends…aren’t we?” Nagito asked wearily.  “Now that we’ve eliminated the prime suspects, I’m positive this time.  There’s no way one friend would murder another…”  Hikari focused on Nagito silently.

_Was that really his reason?  Was he trying to clear my name and to make sure I wasn’t a suspect?  What is his deal…?_

 Hajime slammed a hand on his podium, staring at Nagito.  “Then why did Togami-san die!?”

“Who cares anymore…?  Let’s just give up already…”  Nagito laughed sadly.  “There are no clues that lead to the killer anyway…Not a single one…”

“That’s wrong!”  Chiaki said intensely with her soft-spoken voice.  “…I think.”  Hikari blinked, looking at the pink-haired girl to her left.

Nagito quietly watched the Gamer before looking at her sarcastically.  “…Did you say anything?”

“Cuz…we’ve already found a clue that might point to who the killer is.”

“A clue, you say?” Gundham probed.

“We did?” Hikari asked.

“The killer?  I dunno…” Chiaki admitted, putting her cat hoodie over her head.  “But we do have a clue about a suspicious person…I think.”

Suddenly, Nagito started to get excited.  “I see…Then care to tell me?  What’s this clue you’re talking about?”

“First of all, let’s try thinking about how the killer was able to obtain the knife during the blackout.”

Nagito glowered in annoyance.  “Didn’t we already cover that?  They used glowing pain as a mark.”

“No, not that…” Chiaki countered.  “I mean, before that.”

“Let’s try examining the situation…” Hajime suggested.  “Koizumi’s diagram might be useful here.”

“The diagram of where everyone was standing before the blackout, right?” Mahiru searched her pockets.  “Um…Here it is…”  She placed it out for everyone to see.  Hajime studied the diagram in silence, his eyes wandering to the back table, seeing Hikari’s name but also another familiar name close to hers. 

 _Since Seishin-san was cleared from being the killer…it has to be this person_ , thought Hajime.  “The killer must’ve used the desk lamp to move to that table in the dark.”

Hikari blinked.  _But how…?_

Nagito chuckled.  “The desk lamp…?  I hope you don’t mean they turned on a light or something.”

Hajime pointed at Nagito.  “They didn’t turn the desk lamp on, they used its power cord.”

“P-power cord…?” Mikan asked meekly.

“They could have felt their way to the table using the power cord, right?  By doing that, the killer was able to move to the table, then used the glowing paint to find the knife.”

Chiaki regarded the diagram thoughtfully.  “And…there’s only one person here who could’ve done that.”  Hikari stared at the diagram, widening her eyes to see whose name was closest to the power cord.

Hajime closed his eyes briefly but opening them to face Nagito solemnly.  “Komaeda-san…It was you, wasn’t it?”

Nagito looked taken aback.  “M-Me…?”

“Judging from everyone’s positions before the blackout…The only person near the power cord was you.”

The Luckster frowned in irritation.  “That was my line of thinking in regards to Seishin-san.  She was the closest to the table.”

Hikari’s eye twitched.  _Why is he going after me…again!?_   “Hey!  We proved my innocence!  Plus, you had a chance to hide the knife under the table earlier today, right?”

Hajime nodded, putting the pieces together in his mind.  “Komaeda-san…Weren’t you cleaning the dining hall all day?  If so…you would’ve had a chance to hide the knife!”

Nagito gritted his teeth nervously.  “Th-That’s…!”  However, Hajime still was on the offensive.

“If you factor in the power cord and the time you spent cleaning, you’re the only one who could’ve done it!”

“S-Seriously, that’s all just a coincidence!”

Chiaki tilted her head.  “If it was just one coincidence, like Seishin’s location next to the table, it’d be fine…But when it’s one right after another…I wonder…Is something like that even possible?”

“Could it be…?” Mahiru whispered, arms crossed.  “Did you give yourself cleaning duty on purpose so you could hide the knife under the table…?”

Nekomaru frowned.  “Now that you mention it…Komaeda-san did prepare the drawing to pick who cleaned the dining hall…”

“You rigged the drawing, didn’t you?”  Mahiru accused the Luckster, pointing at him.  “That’s how you got picked to clean the dining hall, isn’t it?”  Nagito stood there, speechless.

Chiaki held the straps of her backpack as she gazed at Nagito.  “I don’t know if you’re the killer or not, but…Regardless, it proves that you’re suspicious, right?”  Nagito bit the inside of his mouth, looking very frightened.

Nekomaru cracked his knuckles, becoming increasingly angry.  “If that’s the case…That strange speech you made earlier…That was part of your plan, too…”  The bulky teen wasn’t the only one who was pissed off.

“You got us to lower our guard and tried to hide the fact that you did it, didn’t you, you motherfucker!?” Fuyuhiko shouted, hand clenched and a vein on his forehead visibly throbbing.

Mahiru pointed at Nagito, frazzled.  “Well?  Just admit it already!”  Nagito started to breathe fast, feeling cornered.

Hajime closed his eyes, gritting his teeth, troubled that he was implicating his investigative partner, his friend, of murder.  “Komaeda-san, tell me you object to this…Frankly, I don’t want to believe it either…We investigated together…You were so kind…I can’t believe you’re the one who killed Togami-san…”  Nagito still did not say a word.  Hajime opened his eyes and slammed his hands on the podium for the second time.  “Komaeda!  Say something!”  Nagito sputtered incomprehensible noises before he started to laugh maniacally.

“The SHSLs are working together to combat the despair of their friend’s death!” Nagito declared, his eyes becoming wild-looking.  “Ah, how wonderful, how beautiful it is!”

“…Huh?” Hajime blinked, looking at his crazed friend cautiously.  Hikari stared at Nagito in disbelief as well, mouth open.

“Let’s cut to the chase…You’re correct!  It was my doing all along!  I’m the one who hid the knife under the table before the party started.  I’m the one who used the power cord to find my way to the table in the dark.  And, of course, I’m the one who caused the blackout.  After all, there’s no way I’d knowingly whip out a knife in front of everybody, right?” 

Hikari felt her heart drop to her stomach, feeling cold shivers run through her body.  Ibuki fidgeted nervously since she was standing to his right.  “I-Is it just me…or does he seem a little nuts right now?”

“But…I never expected Togami to have night-vision goggles…” Nagito admitted.  “Because of that, we had ourselves a little scuffle under the table…and, well, you all saw how that played out.”  He smiled, a hand in the air.  “But with a twist ending like this, I think we can all agree this ended up being a very interesting mystery.”  Hikari trembled as Nagito started laughing hysterically again.  “Hahaha!  Togami performed admirably!”

Hikari watched him, stunned, feeling a small pit of anger in her stomach starting to form.  _H-How dare he mock Togami’s death…!  Does he really think this is a game!?  This is about our friend’s murder!_   She tightened both fists strongly until her knuckles turned white.

“Don’t tell me…” Mahiru said with a shaky voice.  “Is this your true nature?  Were you lying to us this whole time?”

Hikari bit her bottom lip.  _That’s what I want to know too, Komaeda...Were you just pretending to be nice to us…to me?_

“Me, lie?” Nagito asked.  “That’s outrageous!  There no way someone like me could ever lie to you guys!”  He smiled sadly.  “I understand better than anyone else that I’m ultimately worthless.  I’m too arrogant to have dreams or cling to hope…I’m too disdainful to actually try at anything…I’ve made my peace with the fact that I’m a lowly, stupid, insignificant human who can’t do anything right.”

Nekomaru placed his hands on his hips.  “Hey Komaeda-san…If you were behind all of this, then did you also send that threatening letter…?”

“Yep.  I sure did.  There’s nobody else on this island whose handwriting is **that** painful to look at, right?”

Hiyoko frowned at the Luckster.  “But why would you send a threatening letter in the first place?”

“I think…somewhere deep in my heart…I was probably hoping to find someone who would stop my evil deeds.”  Nagito showed another one of his carefree smiles.  “…Well, I bet if that really was my reason, at least some of you would feel sorry for me.”

Hikari was starting to feel mentally exhausted from trying to understand Nagito.  _Why is he being so nonchalant about this?  I don’t get him at all…_

“By threatening Togami-san, Komaeda-san was likely able to manipulate his actions,” Chiaki explained.  “In doing so, Komaeda-san was able to manipulate everyone to the scene where the murder occurred…Am I wrong?”

“That reminds me…Komaeda-san was the one who suggested I guard the office,” Peko stated to the others.

The Traditional Dancer blinked.  “Oh, I get it.  If Pekoyama-san was guarding the storage room, Komaeda-san wouldn’t have been able to use the irons.”

“The threatening letter…along with all your suggestions…It was all a trap to manipulate us.”

Nagito crossed his arms, looking pleased with himself.  “Yep, that’s all true too! ...But you’re wrong about one thing.”

“H-Huh?” Mikan squeaked.  “Wh-Wh-What…?”

“I didn’t need to rig the drawing for cleaning duty, you know?”

“If that’s true, then how did you conveniently get picked for cleaning duty!?” Mahiru interrogated.

Nagito only smiled.  “I see…Well, there’s no way I’d expect you to remember it.  A worthless talent for a worthless human…”

Hikari blinked, amazed she didn’t realize it sooner.  “Komaeda-san…you’re the SHSL Luckster…so did you…?”

“That’s right,” Nagito confessed.  “I just trusted my luck.  I trusted that I’d be picked for cleaning duty.”

Teruteru gaped.  “Y-You just relied on your luck?”

“It’s not **just** luck…It’s true my talent sucks, but I’m still the SHSL Luckster, you know?  At the time, Hinata said I wasn’t lucky…But it was actually the opposite…I **was** lucky!  That’s why I got picked for cleaning duty, just like I wanted!”

Hajime clenched his fist.  “Enough…I don’t care about that anymore…”  He glared at Nagito.  “More importantly, why did you kill Togami-san!?  Answer me!”

The white-haired teen sighed sadly.  “Togami-san was a very capable leader…For someone like him to get killed…Oh, the despair it brings…”  He grinned creepily.  “It’s only fitting that you symbols of hope should use his death as a stepping stone to shine even brighter.”  Nagito gazed at everyone around him with a crazed, yet satisfied look in his eyes.  “That was my only motivation!”

Fuyuhiko’s patience was running out.  “Let’s start the damn vote already!  I’m ready to fucking kill this psycho!”

Hikari frowned, still not believing that they all would be voting for someone’s death.

“P-Please wait!”

 

Days Left: 19

Survivors: 16


	9. Execution Is Always Better with Zest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First Class Trial: Part 2 of 2.

Everyone suddenly turned to the stressed out Nurse.

“…Huh?  What the fuck?” Fuyuhiko mumbled in surprise.

“U-Um, um…um…How should I put this…?  Um…” Mikan stuttered.  “I-Is Komaeda-san… **really** the killer?”

Teruteru’s eyes widened in shock.  “Um…What are you saying?  He’s already confessed, hasn’t he?”

Mikan’s body shook with nervousness, but still went on.  “I-I already know that, but…There’s just something a little strange…”

Hiyoko glared darkly at the bandaged girl.  “If it’s only a little strange then keep your mouth shut…Your ugly face is stressing me out.  It makes me wanna puke.”

Mikan cowered, whimpering.  “A-A-Ahhh!  I-I’m sorry!”

Hikari closed her eyes in disgust.  “Your personality makes me wanna puke, Saionji…”  Hiyoko turned her head away and crossed her arms with an “Hmph!”  The Spirit Medium ignored Hiyoko’s mini-tantrum and smiled encouragingly towards Mikan.  “Tsumiki-san, what is a little strange?  Please explain.”

Teruteru’s lips twitched upwards.  “B-But…we know who the killer is…”

“Simply listening is…acceptable…” Gundham said softly, arms crossed.  Then he abruptly got into a pose.  “However, I won’t allow it to end with mere play!  Now then, let us lift the curtain for a bloody spectacle!”

Many of the teens argued amongst themselves about whether or not Nagito was the killer, not giving Mikan any chance to speak.  Fuyuhiko smirked, “He killed him with the knife that he hid.”

“No, that’s wrong!” Hajime exclaimed.  Everyone turned to Hajime for an explanation. “That knife might not be the murder weapon…That’s what you wanted to say, right Tsumiki-san?”

Fuyuhiko frowned, confused.  “The hell are you talking about…?  It’s obvious the knife was the murder weapon.”

“But…based on the entry wound on Togami-san’s body,” Mikan began to disclose, “The actual weapon should be roughly five millimeters in diameter…”

Ibuki pouted exaggeratedly.  “Five millimeters in diameter…?  That’s like waaay skinnier than a knife!”

“Hey!  That better be true!  If you screwed up, I’ll sell your fuckin’ ass to a whorehouse!” the Yazuka threatened.  Hikari sweatdropped and resisted the urge to sigh or facepalm.

_What is with these people…? Are those with the title of being SHSL all this odd?  I hope I’m not that strange compared to them..._

Nagito smiled cheerfully, looking at the panicked Nurse to his left.  “Is this what you were trying to say, Tsumiki-san?  As long as we can’t prove that the knife is the murder weapon, we can’t assume that I’m the killer.”

“Wh-What are you saying…!?” Mahiru grilled.  “No one else can be the killer!  It has to be you!”

Nagito beamed, eyes closed.  “Hey, don’t blame me.  Tsumiki-san’s the one who said it.”

Mikan sobbed.  “I-I’m sorrrrrryyyy!”

Chiaki remained silent for a moment, her hood over her head, looking downwards.  “…Hey Komaeda-san…Are you still hiding something?”

Hikari shot a quick glance at Nagito.  _Still!?  What is he hiding now?_

The Gamer lifted her hood over as she placed a finger to her chin.  “Like, during the blackout…Did something happen between you and Togami-san that we don’t know about…?”

“Who knows?” Nagito asked with a singsong tone.

Ibuki closed her eyes, her index fingers on either side of her head, trying to concentrate.  “What happened during the blackout…?  Hmm…Hmmmmm…”   She opened her eyes with a giggle, getting excited. “Ah!  If you cross your eyes like this, it gives you double vision!”

“Don’t get distracted!” Kazuichi scolded the Musician.  “Our lives are at stake, you know!”

“Nobody can see in the dark…No matter how hard you think about it, the truth is beyond your sight…” Nagito said cryptically, before smiling with pride.  “Don’t you think that’s a pretty clever metaphor, despite the fact that it came from me?”

Hajime blinked.  “No, that’s not it.”

“…Not it?  What’s not it?”

“Even if we couldn’t see what happened in the dark…I’m pretty sure someone could’ve heard it.”  Hajime looked at the eccentric girl with dyed hair.  “…Isn’t that right, Mioda-san?”

Ibuki leaned forward, hand over her eyes like a visor, her other hand on her hip.  “Fo’ reeeaaalz!?”

“Besides Seishin-san, you were the one who told me, remember?  How everyone was shouting during the blackout…You were the one who identified to me on who said what.”

Hikari stood a bit straighter, having heard her name in the discussion again.  However, she relaxed slightly since Hajime was the one who mentioned it.  The black-haired girl was blown away by Ibuki’s power of listening as she heard the Musician’s account about what happened during the blackout.

“Such perceptive hearing!  Impressive!  I’d expect no less from the SHSL Musician!” Nagito praised enthusiastically.

Hiyoko restrained herself from bursting out in laughter.  “It’s a good thing that your ears are awesome because your face, style, figure, and personality totally suck.”

Hikari rolled her eyes.  _There’s no point in trying to reprimand this girl…It’s like talking to a brick wall…_

The other bespectacled teenager looked deep in thought.  “However, after hearing what Togami-san and Komaeda-san said in the dark…It almost sounds like…Togami-san fought back against Komaeda-san or something…”

Nagito placed a hand on his hip.  “Well, that’s exactly what happened.”  He then crossed his arms, looking at his classmates.  “As a sign of respect for Mioda-san’s talent…I have a small confession to make.  I was actually shoved out from under the table by Togami-san.”

 “He…shoved you out?” Teruteru asked quietly.

“Just as the blackout occurred, I hurried to duck under the table and grab the knife…but Togami-san, wearing his night-vision goggles, caught me and shoved me right out from under the table.”  Nagito hugged himself, smiling despondently.  “That’s right…I’m so incompetent that I couldn’t even grab the knife…” He composed himself after a few moments to continue.  “After getting shoved out from under the table, I was just as confused as you guys.  I lost sight of the glowing paint, and I didn’t even know where the power cord was…Before I realized it, the lights had come back on and Togami-san’s body was lying under the table…”

Hikari stared at Nagito with a deadpan expression.  _His talent came in handy for him yet again…If Togami-san didn’t do that, Komaeda would’ve been dead instead._

“From the very beginning, the idea to throw a party,” Nagito explained, “hiding the knife, setting up the blackout…It was all going according to plan…”  He closed his eyes, shrugging with a grin.  “Unfortunately, my plan failed.  And all thanks to Togami-san’s night-vision goggles.  What happened after that…even I don’t know.”

Fuyuhiko glared towards the Luckster.  “Y-You failed…?  Th-Then you’re not the one who killed Togami-san?”

Hiyoko’s jaw dropped.  “Th-Then we’re right back to square one!”

Nagito crossed his arms, smiling gently.  “Meaninglessness…What other word is brimming with so much despair?  But you can’t give up!  You need to have hope, do your best, and move forward!”  His eyes were steadily looking crazed again.  “Rising to the challenge again and again is why you guys are the symbols of hope!”

No one replied to the irrational teen; they were all in a stunned shock.  The whole time that they were down here in this underground death trap felt wasted in a way, the debates leading them in endless circles.  Hikari frowned, not wanting to know what happens if they couldn’t come up with a blackened.  _Probably the same outcome as if we voted for the wrong person…_   She watched each of her classmates as she spoke up.  “…What do we do now?”

“Well, if the knife isn’t the murder weapon, there’s no definitive proof that I’m the killer,” Nagito reasserted.

Mahiru glared at Nagito.  “Sh-Shut up!  We’ll be the judge of that!”

Teruteru clenched his fists, nodding.  “Y-You say you were shoved away, but…you can’t actually prove it, right?”

Nagito smiled knowingly, arms crossed.  “The same question could apply to Seishin-san.”

Hikari felt a vein start to throb above her left eyebrow as her feelings towards Nagito teetered between pity and anger.  “Will you stop implicating me!?”  She swore that the Luckster was beginning to have an affinity of pissing her off.

Gundham started talking as if ignoring Hikari’s outburst.  “So…even if a different weapon was used, it does not mean Komaeda-san has been cleared of suspicion!”

“B-But…there’s another reason why I don’t think Komaeda-san is the killer…” Mikan said meekly.

The Cook blinked in surprise.  “Th-There’s still more!?”

“Based on what we discussed…Togami-san was killed under the table, right?”

Sonia tilted her head.  “Is there’s something wrong with that?”

“Well…Even if that’s true, I feel Komaeda-san looks…you know…clean…”

Nagito’s expression brightened instantly.  “Nobody’s ever complimented me on my appearance before!  Not even my own mother!”  Many of the students sweatdropped.

Mikan blushed lightly, clasping her hands to her chest, eyes squeezed shut.  “Nyehhh…I’m not talking about your looks!”

Hikari sighed softly.  “I get what Tsumiki-san means…which also clears my name.  Neither Komaeda-san nor I were stained with blood from the scene.  The killer most definitely would have been covered in blood given the bloodbath we saw under the table.”

“Yes…!  That’s it, Seishin-san,” Mikan confirmed, vehemently nodding her head.  “There were even bloodstains on the inside of the tablecloth…”

Peko crossed her arms.  “If he stabbed Togami-san to death, it’s strange that he did not get splattered with an appropriate amount of blood…”

Nagito beamed.  “I didn’t get any blood on me?  That **is** weird, heh.”

Akane closed one eye, looking at the white-haired boy.  “You just used somethin’ to block the blood, didn’t ya!?”

“Something that might’ve been used to block the blood splatter…What do you think it could’ve been?  Hm…I guess we did see something I could’ve used…Isn’t that right, Hinata?”

“You’re talking about the bloodstained tablecloth we found in the storage room…right?” Hajime asked.

“If there are bloodstains on it, then that settles it!  Komaeda-san used the tablecloth to block the blood splatter!” Fuyuhiko proclaimed.

Gundham frowned underneath his scarf, puzzled.  “But that was found in the storage room, right?  Are you suggesting he hid it there after the murder?”

“You mean after the lights came back on?” Nekomaru asked gruffly.  “What would he have done if we had seen him?”

“That’s true…” Hajime agreed.  “That tablecloth was pretty big, so even if you tried to hide it and take it with you…”

Nagito stared at his hands.  “Wearing a tablecloth, going under the table, getting a knife in a blackout, and stabbing someone…That’s not just impossible for someone like me…Wouldn’t it also be impossible for you guys, too?”

Hikari placed a hand to her chin.  _He has a point…It is basically impossible for that scenario…_

Chiaki quietly stood next to the Spirit Medium in deep thought, her cat hood over her head.  “Maybe…the killer didn’t necessarily stab Togami-san **under** the table.”

The Breeder started to become frustrated.  “No, there’s no mistake that the murder occurred under that table.”

 “Even the inside of the tablecloth was bloody…so there’s no denying Togami-san was killed there,” Mikan agreed with Gundham.

Chiaki tilted her head.  “But that doesn’t mean where Togami-san got stabbed and where the killer did the stabbing are the same…right?”

Hikari glanced towards her pink-eyed friend in confusion.  Nagito held back a chuckle, looking at Hajime.  “Huh? Hinata…you look like you’re onto something.”

_Really?_ Hikari turned almost straight ahead to face Hajime who seemed very pensive.

He frowned, obviously frustrated.  “I feel like I’m onto something…but it’s still not clear as to what that is…”

Chiaki raised a finger upwards in confidence, her hood having slipped off her head again.  “Under the table, but not **under** the table…  If it’s somehow possible, it’s the only way that makes sense!  Moving forward, we should put aside all unnecessary preconceptions and just choose the answer…I think.”

Hikari took an exasperated breath, her head feeling like it is getting filled with fog.  _I feel so lost in this discussion…_

Hajime suddenly blinked, startled.  “I got it!  The killer must’ve stabbed Togami-san from under the floorboards!”

Mahiru gasped.  “U-Under the floorboards!?”

“The floorboards in the old building are full of gaps, and there was no carpet laid out under the table.  If they stuck the weapon through one of the gaps, they could’ve stabbed Togami-san to death.”

Hikari closed her eyes, feeling a rush of grief come over her after hearing how the killer murdered her peer, the person who would have stood to her right if he was alive now.  She gripped her necklace just imagining what Byakuya must’ve felt when being killed.

“If so, Hinata, that means that the killer was able to get under the floorboards.  But from where?  And how?” Nagito asked.

“I don’t know that yet,” Hajime admitted, “but…I have a feeling there’s someone here who does know.”  His eyes settled on the gothic-looking teen.  “Hey Tanaka-san…You dropped your earring in the dining hall, right?”

Gundham stared right back, saying softly, “…Are you referring to the Hell Hound Earring?”

“About that earring…”

“…I said,” Gundham hissed, “are you referring to the Hell Hound Earring?”

Hajime sweatdropped, deciding to use his words carefully.  “About that ‘Hell Hound Earring’…You dropped it beneath the floorboards, right?”

Gundham chuckled to himself menacingly.  “Kehehe…Just a bit longer and I would have reduced everything, including that old building, to ashes…”  He then got into one of his signature poses.  “However, it’s just as the old legend said!  The Hell Hound Earring has returned to its owner, to me!”

“Is it safe to say that…that earring is the one hanging from your right ear?”  Hikari blinked, studying Gundham’s head, seeing that Gundham was indeed wearing a gold earring on his right ear.  Hajime explained further.  “Tanaka-san wasn’t wearing an earring during the investigation…And if he had it on by the time the class trial began…Then that means that Tanaka-san was able to retrieve his earring from beneath the floorboards during the investigation.”

“So…Tanaka-san knows how to get under the floorboards,” Peko said hesitantly.

Gundham started to chuckle again, looking very proud.  “Kehehe…It’s understandable.  After all, you fools only view the world through eyes of glass…”

Hikari itched her cheek a bit.  _Well, I am wearing glasses…_

The Breeder grinned, his hamsters sitting on his shoulders.  “But I am different!  With the power of my Four Dark Devas of Destruction, it is of no concern!”  He moved into a pose, a hamster on his uplifted left hand, another still on his shoulder, the third on his right hand, and the fourth one on his scarf.  “Truly, this is the ‘Evil Fourth Eye!’  Before the might of the ‘Evil Fourth Eye,’ all visual chaos is rendered asunder!”

Hiyoko placed her hands on her head, eyes closed.  “What should I do!?  I’m embarrassed just listening to him, let alone standing next to him!”

Seeing his classmates’ quizzical faces staring at him, Gundham relented.  “Fine, I shall tell you all!  The answer was in the storage room!  One of my Four Dark Devas of Destruction…Mirage Golden Hawk, Jum-P, has seen beyond the chaos.  A Secret Passage of Doom leading to the underground lurks beneath a large assortment of random boxes…After securing a lighter from the supermarket, I threw caution to the wind and ventured below the floorboards.  And as a result of that lonesome battle…I was able to recover the Hell Hound Earring with my own hands!  Fuahaha!  Tremble with fear, fools!  Behold my power!”

“Anyway…it sounds like you can go under the floorboards from the storage room,” Hikari said.

“Then that has to be how the killer did it,” Chiaki affirmed.  “If the space beneath the floor is empty, it’s not that far to move from the storage room to the dining hall.”  Chiaki moved her finger from the storage room to the crime scene in Mahiru’s diagram.  Hikari stared at the diagram quietly as the discussion continued.

“I see…” Nekomaru grunted, arms crossed.  “If they passed through the storage room, I understand why the tablecloth was put there.”

The voices were becoming distant to Hikari as she couldn’t tear her eyes away from the diagram, but more specifically the area of the murder.  Her eyes widen slowly, oblivious to the conversation around her.  _H-How…did I not realize it after hearing his story…?  Was he really going to..._   The Spirit Medium bit her tongue as she felt blood drain from her face, refusing to look in that direction.  She clenched her fists under the surface of her podium, trying to control her trembling.  _It…makes the most sense if I was the closest to the table…but still!  He was a friend to me at the time...Is he just like the others back home?  Friendly in front of my face until I am no longer useful and then see me as a ghost freak?  Was he just pretending this whole time?_   Hikari kept her eyes glued to the wooden podium in front of her, fighting the urge to gaze upon her so-called good friend the past couple days.  The bespectacled girl didn’t think she could handle the attention to this realization just yet.  She was still in complete shock, not noticing the Gamer’s quick glance of concern towards the Spirit Medium.

What got Hikari out of her stupor was Fuyuhiko’s angry protest.  “Wh-What the fuck are you saying!?  I’m not the killer!”  Hikari blinked, surprised, seeing some classmates deciding that Fuyuhiko was guilty.

_Huh?  What exactly did I miss…?_

The Yakuza’s patience was obviously at its limit by this point.  “Don’t mess with me!” he growled, fists clenched in rage.  “I’ll fuckin’ kill you!”  Hikari sweatdropped.

_That definitely won’t help your case if you are actually innocent…_

Mahiru crossed her arms, frowning.  “But when the party started…nobody saw you, you know?  That means you have no alibi!” The photographer pointed at Fuyuhiko accusingly.

“No, Kuzuryuu-san definitely has an alibi.  Isn’t that right, Nanami-san?”  Hajime calmly looked at Chiaki.

The Gamer stared into space for a moment before blinking.  “Um…Oh, you’re right.  I saw Kuzuryuu-san after the party started.  There’s no way he could’ve been waiting under the floor before then.”  With that said, Fuyuhiko’s posture relaxed.

“You should’ve said that earlier, dumbass,” the blond male mumbled under his breath.

“It’s still your fault,” Mahiru argued.  “Like…why were you even lurking around the old building in the first place?”  Fuyuhiko fidgeted slightly.

“Sh-Shut up…”

Teruteru stroked his chin in thought.  “Maybe there really is a secret passage to go under the floorboards from the outside, and he came to spy…”

“…What’d you say, motherfucker!?” Fuyuhiko threatened.  Some of the teens looked at the Cook strangely as he giggled to himself.

“Wow, he got chewed out, but he looks super happy!” Hiyoko gasped in surprise.

“Regardless,” Gundham articulated with his arms crossed, “it’s impossible to go under the floorboards from outside.  Nanami-san and I already confirmed that…”

Sonia nodded slightly.  “Then someone definitely went under the floorboards through the storage room during the party.”

“During the party…” Mikan began to say softly.  “It was probably during the blackout…”

“Well, if someone disappeared during the blackout, no one would’ve noticed,” Chiaki determined.

Teruteru pointed a finger towards the Gamer.  “But walking down that dark hallway to the storage room is like trying to make eggs benedict without any eggs!”

Kazuichi scratched his cheek gently.  “You’re right…I couldn’t even see the office in that darkness, and that room was much closer…”

“…But is it really impossible?” murmured Hajime, hand to his chin in deep thought.  “It might be better if we examine that possibility a little bit more…”

“It was super dark, y’know?  There’s no way you’d be able to find your way to the storage room!” Ibuki stated, itching her head.

“It appears…we’re getting close to the final stage…The blackened or the spotless…  Which is superior…?  I think it’s time to settle this.”  Hikari froze when she heard the smooth-talking voice nearby.

  _Do not look at him…Do NOT look at him…_ the girl cautioned herself, knowing she’d obviously give away what she knew from just the look on her face if she was to look at him.  Instead, Hikari focused on trying to keep her composure.

“I know…The killer had a light with them!” Hajime verbalized loudly, making Hikari jolt in surprise, breaking her concentration.

“But where could they have found a light?” Ibuki asked, puzzled.

“There was one nearby for sure,” Hajime declared, pointing at the kitchen’s equipment list.  “See?  It’s written on here, the kitchen’s equipment list.”  His finger tapped on one item in particular.  “It’s the portable stove.”

“P-portable stove!?”

“The portable stove isn’t powered by electricity and it’s also small enough to carry around…So the killer used the portable stove to move from the hallway to the storage room during the blackout!” Knowing this might be because of her feelings towards the boy, but Hikari couldn’t help but see Hajime as a cool and confident protagonist in a book or movie.  The small-statured girl stared at him star struck with a light blush tinting her cheeks.

“I see…” Nagito said slowly.  “I never considered the portable stove, but there’s a hole in your argument.”  Hajime blinked, taken aback.

Teruteru grinned perversely.  “A hole?  What kind of hole?  It would be great if you could explain it to me in…much more detail.”  Suddenly, noticing the disgusted stares directed at him, he started to sweat.  “Ah, I wasn’t making a perverted joke or anything!  It’s really not a perverted joke!  I’m-I’m serious!  Hm…”

Mahiru glared at the short male.  “Repeating yourself just makes it even more suspicious!”

“Now then, Hinata,” Nagito challenged with a very serious look in his eyes.  “Will you battle against me?”

_Battle? Between Hinata and Komaeda?_   Hikari blinked, her eyes darting between the two boys, her goal of not looking at Nagito forgotten.  Luckily for her, Nagito’s focus was on Hajime alone.

“…Will you be able to break through my argument?” Nagito mused.  At first, Hajime seemed shocked and a bit troubled before he took a deep breath and stared the Luckster down with resolve.

_Damnit!  There’s no way I’m going to lose against someone like him!_ Hajime thought to himself, seeing that Nagito wasn’t the person he thought he knew.

 “Did you forget what Souda-san said earlier?” Nagito asked condescendingly.  “He said the hall was too dark to see the office.  The light from the stove you mentioned…It contradicts his testimony…Or are you intentionally doubting his testimony?”

Hikari frowned, discouraged.  _He does have a point…Wouldn’t Souda-san have been able to see that stove light during the blackout if the killer was travelling with it in the hallway?_   She looked to Hajime, hoping he has a comeback.

“I don’t doubt what Souda-san said!” the tie-wearing teen declared, getting annoyed.  “What are you trying to say…!?”

Nagito crossed his arms.  “The reason Souda-san couldn’t see the office…was because the hallway was dark, right?  So if a light was shining in such a dark hallway…Wouldn’t Souda-san have seen it?  After all, he was walking in the hallway, right?”

Hikari blinked, a bit stunned.  _That’s what I was thinking?  Is he a mind reader…?_   She started to feel chills rush through her body.  _I really hope not…_

“Komaeda, did you forget?” Hajime asked sternly.  “Or are you pretending you forgot?”

Nagito closed his eyes with his signature smile.  “…Huh?  What are you talking about?”

“There should’ve been a wall that blocked light.  I’m talking about the fire door in the hallway.  If you close it, it would form a perfect wall in the hallway.  Plus…the hallway rounds a corner just beyond the fire door…So even if there was a small gap in the door, as long as they pass the corner, the light still wouldn’t peek out.”

“I see…To actually notice the fire door, just as expected as the SHSL…”  Nagito paused, blinking.  “Oh…You still don’t remember your talent, do you?”

Hajime faltered a bit.  “Wh-Who cares about that now…!?”  Seeing that Nagito insulted her friend and person of infatuation, Hikari slammed her hands on her podium, seeing red.

“Sh-Shut up!” the Spirit Medium yelled at the Luckster, her anger causing her small body to shake.  “You’re the one who set up the opportunity for murder…You were the one who was going to murder…You…were going to murder…!”  She bit her bottom lip, her face turning scarlet, closing her eyes tightly, too mad to even look at the boy.

“Komaeda-san, what are you plotting?  For someone who insists that he’s not the killer, you are quite nosy,” the swordswoman remarked with her velvety voice.

Nagito raised his hands in mock defense.  “You ladies sound so scary.  If you’re that angry, why don’t you take a deep breath…?”

“You sure like to piss us off!  How about I shut your fuckin’ mouth for you!?” Fuyuhiko snarled viciously.

Hikari breathed out through her nose, still fuming.   _Said the words out of my mouth…Does he even know that I know what he was going to do?_  

“Heeeeeey!” Monokuma interjected.  “It’s okay if you guys fight, but I won’t allow a burly brawl that might offend people!  More importantly, can you hurry up and decide who’s the blackened already?  Time runs out when I get bored.”

During Monokuma’s interruption, Hikari learned the answer to her mental question.  Nagito caught Hikari’s stare and looked at her with an arrogant yet nonchalant expression.  The Spirit Medium paled.  _H-He does know…It’s as if he’s telling me that he seriously would’ve done it when he had the chance…and he wouldn’t care if I died…_   She frowned, clasping her necklace out of nervous habit.  Hikari was very sure that, at this rate, she would die from the amount of stress accumulated from her inability to use her talent and being put into this deadly situation with no guarantee of survival.  _My heart can’t take much more of this...I’m probably going to have a heart attack soon if this continues…_

Mahiru quickly captured Hikari’s attention with her sudden outburst in response to Gundham regarding the crawlspace under the floorboards.  “Wh-What!?  A shining liquid in the dark!?”

Hikari blinked, confused.  _Shining liquid?_

Sonia tilted her head to the side a bit.  “If there was a shining mark like that, they would’ve been able to move to it in the dark, right?”

“And in doing so, it might have been possible for them to use that mark to target the victim,” Chiaki speculated.

“The mark you’re talking about is the glowing paint that was applied to the knife, right?” Hajime asked.

“Ah!” Nekomaru roared in realization.  “By using the glowing paint as a target, they were able to judge where to stab even in the dark!”

“I see,” the Traditional Dancer concluded.  “The killer didn’t target an actual person, they just struck the moment the glowing paint moved!”

 “That would be the moment someone grabbed ahold of the knife!” Sonia exclaimed with a serious air about her.

Komaeda smiled calmly.  “So…the killer used the mark that I prepared for finding the knife as a mark for stabbing…”  His grin grew as he started to get excited.  “I see…That’s why Togami-san got killed when he took the knife…”

“But if they were able to do that,” Chiaki mentioned, “wouldn’t that mean that the killer knew about Komaeda-san’s plan all along?”

“Well, Hanamura-san!?” Nekomaru challenged, cracking his huge knuckles.

Hikari’s mouth dropped slightly.  _Hanamura-san’s the killer!?_ She quickly recovered from the turn of events, remembering she helped Mahiru with the diagram.  _That’s right…he wasn’t in any of the pictures Koizumi took right before the blackout…We just assumed he was in the kitchen…_   The deep blue-eyed girl observed the Cook’s current demeanor as he anxiously denied knowing anything.

“Then can I ask everyone a question instead?” Nagito quipped.  Hikari was about to subconsciously retort before Mahiru beat her to it.

“Y-You again!?  Just stop already!” Mahiru demanded, becoming impatient with the Luckster’s antics.  Hikari let out a breath she didn’t know she held in.  She honestly felt relieved that Mahiru stood up to him instead of herself doing it.  The Spirit Medium felt very uncomfortable being around the pale teenager now that she knows the truth.

Teruteru tried to regain his composure, nervous sweat still forming on his face.  “N-Now, now!  We should give everyone a fair opportunity to speak!”

“If Hanamura-san is the killer, then that would mean that he went to the storage room during the blackout…And just what did Mioda-san hear during the blackout?” Nagito wondered aloud for everyone to remember Ibuki’s account.

Peko blinked, frowning.  “She heard…Hanamura’s voice in the dining hall?”

“Doesn’t that prove Hanamura-san was in the dining hall during the blackout?”

“Th-Th-That’s right!” shouted Teruteru.  “That’s exactly it!”

Mahiru inspected her evidence again, a finger to her cheek in thought.  “But Hanamura-san was in the kitchen the moment the blackout occurred, right?  So…why was he in the dining hall?”  Hikari silently nodded in agreement.

Teruteru nervously poked his index fingers together, looking to the side uneasily.  “I-I thought the blackout was only in the kitchen, so I panicked and ran there…Of course, the hallway was dark, too…But somehow I managed to move along the wall towards everyone’s voices.”

 “Well,” Nekomaru sighed lightly, making sense of Teruteru’s story, “it’s not too far to move along the wall from the kitchen to the dining hall…”

 “…That sounds fishy!” Akane argued, hand on her hip.  Hikari’s eyebrows furrowed.  Teruteru’s account did make sense and sounded plausible, but it also sounded suspicious.  She wasn’t sure how Teruteru could move around in the dark and Kazuichi couldn’t.  The mystical girl figured that Teruteru reached his destination because it was also the source of everyone’s loud voices.  She also wasn’t certain if the fire doors were used before or after the Cook was in the hall.

_Or maybe they weren’t even used at all...I didn’t investigate the hallway…Maybe I should’ve done more in the investigation…_ Hikari frowned, feeling that she wasted a lot of time during the data-gathering stage trying to use her talent when deep down she knew that she would fail again.  _But…I had to try…I’m the only one here with the talent to communicate with ghosts.  It was worth a shot_ , she thought to herself, trying to perk up.

Ibuki was beginning to get aggravated.  “But I heard Hanamura-san’s voice in the dining hall!  Ibuki swears on her honor!”

“That’s right,” Nagito chortled.  “Hanamura-san was in the dining hall, not the storage room.  Which means…he’s not the killer.”

“…No, that’s not it,” Hajime objected, knowing they were missing something important.

 Teruteru gawked at him.  “Wh-Why…?”  He suddenly exploded in anger, on the verge of a tantrum.  “Why do you want to keep falsely accusing me!?” 

Hajime frowned, starting to feel guilty.  “It’s not like I want to blame you…I just…”

Hikari frowned, feeling empathy towards the Cook.  _I understand how he feels…I was accused not too long ago…but…if he is the killer…he just doesn’t want to be executed…No one does…that’s why we have to do this…_

“You should be so proud of yourself, Hinata,” Nagito exalted, arms crossed over his chest.  “You’re just progressing toward the hope you believe in…”  Both Hikari and Hajime grimaced slightly at his words.  However, Nagito wasn’t finished talking.  “Now, Hinata…show me more of your hope.  Will that be enough to crush Hanamura’s hope?”

_He’s getting creepier the longer this goes on…_ Hikari thought with concern.  _Does he even care if he lives or dies?  Is it really all about his twisted concept of hope?_

Nagito looked at Teruteru.  “Let me ask again…Did you go to the storage room during the blackout?”

“Th-There’s no way I went to the storage room!  I was somewhere totally different!” Teruteru asserted.

“I definitely heard Hanamura-san’s voice!” Ibuki boasted, proud of her acute hearing ability.  “It’s handsome!  Unlike his face!”

“Maybe it was a recording or something…?” Mahiru suggested.

“Nope, definitely a live voice!”

Teruteru smiled, starting to feel confident.  “Right, as long as I have her testimony…The fact…that I was in the dining hall…cannot be disputed!”  However, someone was ready to shut down the Cook’s lifeline.

“Just because we heard Hanamura-san’s voice in the dining hall doesn’t mean that he was literally in the dining hall,” Hajime remarked.

“Huh? Wh-Why…?”

“Remember the floor in the dining hall?  It was full of gaps, right…?  So even if you shouted out from under the floor, it should have sounded like the voices in the dining hall.”

At this point, Teruteru was beginning to panic, grabbing his hair anxiously.  “But…but-but-but-but-but-but…!”

“I see…” Peko acknowledged Hajime’s reasoning.  “So he brazenly shouted from under the floor to make us think that he was in the dining hall.”

Hikari frowned, looking at the short boy.  “…Is that true, Hanamura-san?”

“H-Hold on a second…” he spluttered.

“C-Can you explain this, Hanamura-san!?” Mikan squeaked, her hands turning to small fists to her chest.

“I told ya to wait a sec, ain’t IIIIIIII!?” Teruteru exploded, raising his fists in the air.  Mikan shrieked in fear, not expecting the Cook to fly off the handle like that so suddenly.  “What’re y’all even sayin’ anymore!?  I’m tellin’ ya I was in dat dere dinin’ hall durin’ da blackou’!” He persisted angrily, his accent becoming thicker and harder to understand.

“…Where are you from again?” Hiyoko asked.

“Oooh I was born ‘n West Azabu and raised ‘n South Aoyama!”

Hiyoko giggled, smiling happily.  “Hey, you guys!  This guy’s a major liar!”

Chiaki gripped the ends of her hood thoughtfully before she spoke.  “If Hanamura-san was in the dining hall during the blackout, he should’ve been there after the power returned, right?”

“Well, I believe so,” Nagito testified with a smile.  “There’s no way that he could’ve gone back and forth in that dark hallway.”

“Huh?” Mahiru wondered.  “Was Hanamura-san actually there during that time?”

“I-I sure was…” Teruteru alleged.  “I was dere da whoooooole damn time…”

“Something like this shouldn’t be decided by gut instinct.  People’s lives are at stake,” Nagito cautioned. 

Hikari’s face deadpanned.  _However, you sound so untroubled…like you don’t care at all…_

“Daaaamn right!” Teruteru roared, a vein visibly throbbing on his forehead.  “You guys shouldna been decidin’ this on the spot with your hazy memories!”

Hiyoko stared at him, disgusted.  “His accent is getting even worse!  He’s definitely lying!”

“However…I am not sure.  I believe that he was there…and I believe that he was not there,” Sonia said, looking downcast.

“Nghhhhhhh…!  Is there any way we can decide…!?” Nekomaru bellowed in frustration.

“…Why don’t we consult his memories?” Chiaki suggested calmly.

Teruteru was still in a rage, his eyes wide.  “Grah!  Cher, don’t be sayin’ dings like dat don’t make no sense!  Can you even prove I wasn’t in da dinin’ hall!?”

“I probably can,” Hajime said coolly.

“Gaaaargh!  You again!?”

“If you’re claiming that you were in the dining hall when the power came back…then you should know how Tsumiki-san was positioned at the time, right!?”

Hikari blinked and then sweatdropped.  _Oh yeah…I totally forgot about that what with the murder and whatnot…_

“Wh-Whaaaaaaat!?” Teruteru blurted out, dumbfounded.

Mikan whimpered loudly.  “Don’t make me remember!  I-It’s so embarrassing!”

“No,” Hajime said quietly, “this is a very important question…”  He turned to the Cook challengingly.  “Well, Hanamura-san?  If you were really in the dining hall at that time, you should know the answer to that!”  Teruteru started fidgeting nervously, looking around to his peers for some kind of help.  Hajime continued, “It was a pretty clever way of tripping.  There’s no way you’d forget about it so easily.”

Mikan started sobbing.  “I’m sorry…I’m so sorry.  I showed you something so…unsightly…!”

“H-H-How about it!?” Ibuki stuttered, sweatdropping at the mental image of Mikan in that pose again.  “You can answer, Hanamura-san!?”

“Um…um…” Teruteru mumbled, uneasy.  “Huh?  Uhhhh…huh…That’s weird, it just slipped from my mind.”

Mahiru shook her head.  “There’s no way it would slip from your mind…Especially not a pervert like you…!”

“U-Um…Even so…”  He quickly glanced at Nagito.  “K-Komaeda-san!  Say something!”

“Hmm…” Nagito sighed, dissatisfied.  “I guess you might have to give up now…”

The Cook gaped at him.  “Wait…give up?  What do you mean, ‘give up’…?”

“Hanamura-san…I’m disappointed too, you know…It’s lonely watching someone I admire reach the limits of their hope.  It kind of feels like a broken dream…”

“Komaeda, what are you doing!?” Hajime demanded angrily.  “Why are you messing with the killer like that…!?”

“Ho-Ho-Hold on a sec!” Teruteru yelled, getting riled up.  “Don’ go movin’ dis along on your own like I really am da killer!”

Nagito raised an eyebrow, looking down at him with a patronizing glance.  “Huh?  But it’s already decided, right?”

The Cook stared at the Luckster in utter disbelief.  “Da-da-da-da-da…hm…da-da-da-da-da…”  He suddenly jumped and waved his fists furiously.  “Da murder weapon hadn’t been cleared up yet, cher!”

“It’s no use!” Hiyoko exasperated, her hands on her head.  “I can’t understand him anymore!”

“It appears he’s saying…‘The murder weapon hadn’t been cleared up yet!’” Monomi spoke out, swaying back and forth from the rope she was tied up with.

Ibuki gasped.  “You understand him!?”

“But it’s such a sad defense…This is too cruel…” Monomi sobbed, looking depressed.

“Oh! ’F you callin’ me the killer den where da weapon!?” Teruteru shouted, glaring at everyone.

“Come on, Monomi!” Mahiru ordered, sweatdropping.  “Enough with the whimpering and translate!”

“U-Um…” the stuffed rabbit sniffled.  “He said…‘If you’re calling me the killer, then where’s the weapon?’”

Hikari blinked.  “Oh…that’s right…We never decided what the actual murder weapon was…”          

“The weapon, huh…?” Nekomaru contemplated out loud.  “It’s not the knife, right?”

“Judging from Togami-san’s wounds…It was a thin, edged tool that’s roughly five millimeters in diameter!” Mikan explained meekly.

“Also, if they stabbed from under the floorboards, the weapon would need to be at least fifty centimeters in length,” added Gundham.

“…After all this, who cares about the weapon?” Nagito asked casually.

Hikari glanced to her right, staring at the memorial picture of their deceased friend.  She gripped her hand into a fist.  _No…it wouldn’t be fair to just end it like this without knowing how Togami-san was killed…_   “We need to know the truth…”  Everyone turned to the Spirit Medium to hear what she had to say.  “It’s not right if we don’t learn exactly what happened.  I believe…it won’t give Togami-san peace if we didn’t see this through to the end.  He was always the one who told us to find the truth, right?”  She frowned.  “Not knowing what happened to our friend definitely won’t give me peace of mind…”  The small girl’s eyes looked at everyone’s, eventually locking onto Hajime’s almost pleadingly.  _Please Hinata-san…I feel like you investigated the most out of us all…You must be able to figure this out…_   Everyone fell silent as Teruteru was still having a fit, consciously ignoring Hikari’s small motivational speech.  Hajime stared back at her quietly, his eyes slowly moving to the memorial next to her before closing his eyes, nodding.

_Togami-san probably wants that too, Seishin-san,_ Hajime thought, his resolve getting stronger from listening to Hikari.

“Fine, I got it…” Chiaki said softly.  “Let’s try thinking about what the weapon was.”  Hikari smiled at her friend, feeling relieved that her friends want to continue.

Hajime’s eyes snapped open.  “That’s it!  The weapon must be the iron skewer!” he blurted out loudly.

Mahiru jumped a bit, standing right next to the plain teen.  “Huh!?  The iron skewer!?”

“Before the party, as Togami-san was confiscating all the dangerous items, he spoke to Hanamura-san about a missing iron skewer…”

“So that missing iron skewer is the weapon!?” Nekomaru shouted in surprise.

Mikan gasped.  “An iron skewer would match up with the wounds perfectly!”

“Hey Hanamura-san!” Akane called out, cracking her knuckles.  “Where’d ya hide the iron skewer!?”

Teruteru, realizing that he was in a path of no return, panicked into hysterics.  Fuyuhiko looked agitated.  “You probably dumped it somewhere on the island, didn’t you!?”

Hikari placed a finger to her chin.  “I don’t think so…There’s a no littering rule.  I remembering reading it when we arrived on the island.” 

Momoni shook around in her rope restraints in agreement.  “If he had violated it, the island sirens would be ringing nonstop.”

“Island sirens…?  Just for littering!?” Kazuichi asked, sweatdropping.

“Also…I was on guard duty and I never once saw Hanamura-san leave the old building,” Chiaki confirmed.

“Whiich means…he obviously hid it somewhere in the old building…” Peko stated.

“It’s probably the kitchen again, right!?” Hiyoko said as if that was very apparent.

“Hanamura-san…” the Team Manager said, staring at the small Cook, “just man up and be straight with us.” 

Teruteru only gripped his hair tightly, his eyes wide with fear, uproariously yelling nonsense before going on the defensive.  “OH WHAT DA HELL YOU EVEN SAYIN’, YOU STUPID COUNTRY HICK!?!?”

“He said, um…” Momoni hesitated, “‘Oh what the hell are you even saying, you stupid country hick.’”

“I guess…we have no choice but to somehow find out for ourselves…” Chiaki concluded.

“Ah’m na’ hidin’ an’thing!” Teruteru barked.  Teruteru just repeated this over and over, his voice growing louder each time.

“He said…‘I’m not hiding anything!’” Monomi translated.

“Where would the weapon be!?” Teruteru demanded. 

Hajime was the one who answered him with his own question.  “Could the iron skewer have been hidden…inside the piece of meat on the bone!?”

“Wha-Wha-Wha-Wha-Wha-Wha-Wha-Wha-Wha-Wha-Wha-Wha-Wha-Wha-!?” Teruteru screeched before trying to compose himself, sweat drenching his face.  “What are you sayin’…?  Dere’s no way I’d hide anything…in a place like that…”

“Th-That’s clearly impossible!  I mean, that’s inside the food!” Akane shouted, aghast at the thought of contaminated food.

“‘Impossible’…That’s what Togami-san and I thought…That’s why we overlooked it…” Hajime sadly chuckled at this fatal error.  He firmly stared down Teruteru as he continued.  “But in fact…the only place you could hide the weapon was inside the food that couldn’t be inspected.  Out of all the dishes you prepared, the only one that could hide a weapon as long as an iron skewer is…the meat on the bone!”

“WHAT NOWWWWW!?” Nekomaru thundered towards Teruteru.

“I-I-I’m usin’ mah right to remain silent!” Teruteru bawled, color starting to drain his chubby face.

Hiyoko glared at him, her fingers gripping the hems of her kimono’s sleeves.  “There’s no way that exists here!”

“W-We need to confirm this now!” Ibuki said with a sense of urgency.

“So if we eat that tasty-lookin’ piece of meat and find the iron skewer inside…Bullseye!” Akane exclaimed, drool starting to form in her mouth.  Hikari refrained from gagging at the thought of Akane eating contaminated meat.

Kazuichi turned to the stuffed animals.  “All right, Monokuma or Monomi, one of you hurry and bring over that piece of meat!”

“One minute…” Akane murmured, getting pumped up at the idea of eating delicious meat.  “Just gimme one minute…I’ll eat the whole thing…!”

Teruteru ran his hands through his hair anxiously.  “Wait now hold on a second!  Time out!  Time out!”

Nekomaru was starting to get restless.  “What are you doing!?  Hurry up and bring it over!!!”

“Ah…about that…” Monomi started to say, still swinging from her rope restraint. 

“Huh?  Where did Monokuma go?” Mahiru asked. 

“I’m…right here…!” chirped the stuffed bear.  Hikari turned around to find the two-toned bear not on his throne, but on a nearby steel chair munching happily on the sought-after meat on the bone.  “Nom…I’m already eating it!”

“Gyaaaa!” Ibuki screamed.  “A bear that eats meat!  ...Wait, now that I think about it, that’s pretty normal.”  The Spirit Medium smiled a bit, sweatdropping.

_This seems to be typical of Mioda-san…_

“Om nom nom…What is this…?  So yummy,” Monokuma hummed as he tore at the meat with his teeth.

“D-Dammit!” the Gymnast cursed loudly.  “That’s my meat!”

Hikari smiled nervously at Akane.  _Honestly, it is best that you didn’t eat it…_ she thought to herself, not daring to say it out loud to the food loving girl.

“I’ve never eaten anything like it in my entire life,” the bear continued to talk as he ate.  “The taste brings me back to my days in the wild.”

“Th-Th-Th-Th-This…THIS IS BAD!” howled Teruteru.  “Seriously, this is really bad!”

“My, my…there’s something inside the meat…” Monokuma said innocently and slowly as if everyone in the room had dumbed down to a toddler’s understanding.  “Look what came out!”  He jumped back on his throne, waving around an iron skewer with a bone as its handle.

Ibuki gasped, her hands shooting up to her face in shock.  “I-Isn’t that…!?”

“Is that…an iron skewer…?” Sonia asked in disbelief.

Chiaki leaned forward to get a look.  “Check it out…the handle looks like it’s made of bone.  Pretty clever.”

“The sword of destruction!  Encased in bone and sheathed in meat!  It brought catastrophe unto Togami-san!” Gundham dramatically remarked.

“As expected of Hanamura-san!” Nagito proudly praised.  “Such a fantastic weapon from the SHSL Chef!” 

By this point, Teruteru was in utter astonishment, tears pouring down his cheeks.  “Y-Y-You’re wrong…! I’m not the killer…I’m not the kind of person…who would kill someone…!”  He started shaking his head, getting mad again.  “I got it!  You all set me up!  You guys set me up so you could blame dis on me!”

“Jeez, what a disappointment…Such an unseemly defense for an SHSL like you.  Can you really call that hope?” Nagito criticized mercilessly.

Hikari turned to the Luckster angrily.  “Komaeda-san…just…shut up,” she stressed, trying not to let her frustrations and fear towards him show.  Luckily for her, he stopped talking, but he stared at her with an unreadable expression.  Also luckily for the girl was that Teruteru was not going to concede quietly, grabbing everyone’s attention. 

“Y’all nothin’ but a buncha poor, loudmouthed, fast-food eatin’ hicks!” Teruteru yelled so fast that his words slurred together.

“He said…‘You’re all nothing but a bunch of poor, loudmouthed, fast-food eating hicks’,” Monomi translated automatically.

Mahiru sweatdropped, her mouth twitching to a nervous smile.  “Y-You don’t need to translate anymore…Somehow I can…tell what he’s trying to say!”

“Nevah nevah nevah shoulda wasted mah cookin’ on you ‘ngrates!” Teruteru ranted on.

“I guess we need to settle this…once and for all…” Chiaki decided firmly.  “To do that, we need to go over the entire incident from beginning to end and make everything clear like Seishin-san said…”

Hajime nodded.  “So…we need to do it!”  After a few minutes of reexamining all of the evidence, Hajime took a deep breath.  “Here’s everything that happened in this case.

“Let’s try going over the whole incident, beginning with right after the party started…Togami-san had us gather in the dining hall of the old building near the hotel.  He was extra cautious about a murder occurring that night because of a threatening letter he received.  Therefore, he decided to throw a party so that he could monitor us.  Though one person didn’t come, the rest of us assembled at the dining hall…and the party was underway.  But, at that time, the trap set by a certain person was already in motion.

“They plugged three irons into the outlets in the storage room, which nearly capped the power usage…Additionally, they prepared something else that would activate at 11:30 p.m….The air conditioners in the office and in the dining hall.  They had already set the timers for these.  Thanks to the irons maxing out the power usage, the breaker was tripped when the air conditioners kicked on.  Since the windows in the old building were covered, the blackout plunged the dining hall into total darkness.

“But when that happened, Togami-san took out a specific item that he brought in his case.  That item…was the night-vision goggles.  Togami-san was so concerned about a murder occurring that he brought a variety of security equipment with him.  When he put on his night-vision goggles, Togami-san witnessed a certain someone making a suspicious move…He saw Komaeda guiding himself with the desk lamp’s power cord so he could get under the table.  That’s right.  Everything up to that point was all part of Komaeda’s plan.  The murder warning to Togami-san, the source of the blackout…It was all Komaeda.”  Hikari involuntarily shivered, remembering that she was the supposed to be Nagito’s victim since she stood the closest to him when he retrieved the knife.  Hajime went on.

“While the blackout was happening, someone else--the real killer—began making their move in the kitchen.  The killer probably already knew about Komaeda’s plan, so they knew a blackout was coming…That’s why the killer prepared all of the items they would need to commit their crime in the dark beforehand.  They needed a light source, which was provided by the portable stove in the kitchen.  They needed a weapon, too…This had also been hidden in the kitchen beforehand.  The long iron skewer used in the churrasco dish.  The killer hid that inside that meat with the bone in it.  With the weapon and portable stove in hand, the killer stepped out into the hallway…First, they closed the fire door in the hallway so their light source wouldn’t peek toward the dining hall.  Then, guided by the light, the killer headed toward the storage room and grabbed a specific item…That’s right.  A tablecloth to block the blood splatter.  With this, the killer finished their preparations and snuck under the floorboards through the secret passage.  They probably turned off the portable cooking stove at that point, or left it near the entrance of the door.  The floor in the dining hall is full of gaps, so there’s no way they could’ve safely held a light source.  But thanks to the glowing mark they painted earlier, the killer was able to get beneath the table. 

“Under the table, Togami-san found the knife that had been hidden there…If only he had retreated, he probably wouldn’t have gotten killed but…He had to retrieve that knife.  And, at that moment…The killer lurking beneath the floorboards stabbed straight up with the iron skewer!  The killer had been waiting in the dark for the moment when the glowing paint began to move.

“After they murdered Togami-san, the killer…purposefully shouted from beneath the floorboards to make it seem like they were still in the dining hall.  Afterward, they came out from underneath the floorboards and rushed back to the kitchen.  And then, after hiding the murder weapon in the kitchen, they rejoined the group as if nothing had happened.  There’s only one person who would’ve been able to commit this crime…Especially if that person is someone who’d think of an unexpected way to hide a weapon inside food…Isn’t that right…Hanamura Teruteru!?”  Everyone glanced between Hajime and Teruteru, the suspense thick in the air.  “That’s what happened…How about it?  Did I get anything wrong?” Hajime asked the Cook.

Teruteru went back to a submissive state, eyes full of tears and snot running from his nose.  “Th-This…is a mistake…A mistake, I tell you…I would never…I would never kill anyone…Would…never…”  Suddenly, he burst into tears and started wailing.

Peko closed her eyes solemnly.  “It seems…this is the end.”

Monokuma started to laugh uncontrollably.  “Geh-hehe…It looks like your argument has come to a close.  Let’s move along to the nerve-wracking voting time!  Now then, please pull the lever in front of you and cast your vote.”  Suddenly, the surface of each podium transformed into a touch screen showing every student’s pixelated face.  Besides the touch screen was a silver lever with a Monokuma head at the top.  “Oh, just a reminder…Make triple sure you vote for someone!  If you don’t vote…I’m gonna eat you up just like that meat from earlier…”

Monomi sobbed loudly, looking very depressed.  “Ughhhhh…!  Wh-Why did this happen…!?”

“Who will be chosen as the blackened!?  Will you make the right choice or the dreadfully wrong one!?  Puhuhuhu!  Such heart-pounding excitement!”

With trembling fingers, Hikari touched the pixelated face of Teruteru before grabbing the lever and pulling it.  The Spirit Medium felt as though time had slowed to almost a standstill when she was casting her vote.  Hikari closed her eyes tightly, feeling tears form in her eyes.  _I’m so sorry, Hanamura…_   She felt her heart become heavy with sadness as Teruteru’s wailing kept going.

The huge tablet screen showed a large slot machine, the reels spinning.  A moment later, the reels, from left to right, started to slow down.  Each reel stopped to reveal Teruteru’s face which caused all three symbols to flash red, the slot machine’s colorful lights going off as well.  Below the reels, the word “GUILTY” flashed on and off and gold coins flowed from the payout dispenser.  Bouquets of vibrant flowers and confetti started to appear on the screen.  However, it was anything but celebratory for any of the SHSLs.  Everyone stepped away from their podiums and gathered together and subconsciously stood around Teruteru.

Monokuma jumped up with glee.  “Correct!  That’s right!  This time, the blackened responsible for killing Togami Byakuya is Hanamura Teruteru!” 

Teruteru finally stopped screaming, yet his face was completely white and was foaming from his mouth.  “N-no…nononononono…!”

Even Fuyuhiko’s skin turned pale.  “A-Are you serious…!?  Out of all these people…Are you saying a ponce like him is the one who killed Togami?”

Nekomaru clenched his fist.  “B-But…”  Tears started falling down the burly young man’s cheeks.  “WHYYYYYY!?!?  WHY DID YOU KILL HIM!?”

“I-It was a mistake…I’m telling you it was just a mistake…” Teruteru said weakly.  “I…was only trying to save you guys…I was only trying to stop Komaeda-san from murdering one of you!”

Hikari froze, her eyes wide.  “Wh-What…?”  She felt her blood run cold.  _I…I sentenced the person who potentially would have saved my life…to…death…?_

Hajime was confused.  “‘Trying to stop’…What do you mean?”  Nagito stood nearby, arms crossed and silent.

“I spent all morning in the old building preparing the dishes for the party…” Teruteru started explaining, “a-and then…I heard a weird laughter near the dining hall…and when I peeked over there…I saw him.  I saw Komaeda-san, in the middle of cleaning duty, putting the knife under the table…!  I-I had a bad feeling about it…so I continued to watch what he was doing…And I saw him place the irons he brought in the storage room…and mess with the air conditioner timers…Plus, he was grinning…Just grinning by himself the whole time…”  Hikari held onto her arms in order to try to stop her body from shaking as the Cook continued his account, his own body trembling.  “S-So I questioned him…Wh-When that happened…he…!”  Hikari swayed a bit and a wave of dizziness rushed through her body.  Her vision slowly darkened as she felt all sensation of her legs leave.

“Seishin!”

When she got her bearings back, Hikari opened her eyes to a few of her classmates around her, their faces etched with worry.  Chiaki knelt beside her, holding her hand as the Spirit Medium glimpsed upwards to find her upper half leaning against Nekomaru.  “Seishin-san, are you all right!?” Sonia asked, concerned, kneeling down to Hikari’s left.

Mikan was holding back sobs.  “Y-You gave us a scare, S-Seishin-san…!  Your pulse was getting weak for a minute…”

“It might have been due to stress…” Peko suggested.  “This has been a very trying ordeal…”

Chiaki quietly examined Hikari, squeezing her hand gently once the two girls had locked eyes.

Hajime, now seeing that Hikari was okay, turned to Nagito, having heard Teruteru’s account of the conservation between the Cook and the Luckster.  “K-Komaeda…what is the meaning of this?  E-Explain it to me!  I don’t understand…anything about this story at all!”

Nagito smiled, holding his hands up defensively.  “You see, if you have a favorite boxer, don’t you want him to fight against a strong opponent and win?”

“Don’t fuck with me!” the Yakuza shouted, pissed off.  “You better not compare us to that.”

Nagito blinked, taken aback.  “Huh?  Am I wrong?  It’s a given that trials are necessary to become strong, and the harsher the trial, the stronger you become, no?”  He smiled, chuckling.  “For mere humans, killings are simply a tragedy, but…for worthy humans, a trial such as this can elevate their status to an even higher level.  It’s amazing to me that someone as untalented as myself can become that trial!  There’s no point in someone like me surviving…It’s far more significant for to die as everyone’s trial.  There’s no greater honor than becoming the foundation so that your values may ascend to brave new heights!”

Hikari slowly got to her feet with the aid of her friends, Nekomaru close by in case the girl collapsed again.  She felt her stomach twisting as she listened to Nagito, still holding the Gamer’s hand.

Mahiru looked troubled.  “I-I don’t understand at all!  Are you saying you basically wanted to commit murder for fun!?”

“It’s not the same as someone killing for fun, but…I guess it’d look the same in your eyes.  I have no intention of surviving and leaving you all to die.”

“Is that why…” Hajime said slowly, “you didn’t mind when Hanamura-san discovered your plan?”

“Or perhaps that was intentional too?”  Everyone suddenly turned to Chiaki.  Hikari looked at her friend as the Gamer explained.  “Komaeda-san wanted to involve us in the killing…Plus, it’d be better for him if the mystery was more complex…Is that why you blatantly revealed your plan to Hanamura-san?  You expected to pique Hanamura-san’s curiosity…And you looked forward to the mystery becoming more complex.”

Nagito shrugged indifferently.  “Well…you’re basically right.  It’s true I was looking forward to that.  That’s why I took the time to tell him about the secret passage I found while I was cleaning…”

Gundham’s eyes widened.  “What!?  That was your doing as well?”

“I just casually mentioned, ‘Oh, it’s dangerous if you fall, so don’t get too close to it.’”  Teeruteru squirmed guiltily.

Chiaki firmly stared at Nagito.  “Was it also intentional to target Seishin?”  Everyone stopped and showed various signs of astonishment.  Hikari couldn’t hide her shock, her jaw dropping towards the calm girl.

Nagito smiled innocently.  “What was that?”

“If your plan had been carried out perfectly, Seishin would have been the victim here and not Togami-san.  It was clear to me from inspecting the diagram Koizumi-san drew up.  Was killing her part of your plan?”

Nagito chuckled, sending shivers down Hikari’s spine.  “Like I said before, I didn’t mind who I killed.  As long as it resulted in you guys overcoming that despair.  I admit that killing Seishin would have made things a bit easier for me.  I mean, what if she regained her talent and spoke to the dead victim?  Then, my plan for hope overcoming a difficult trial would be in vain.”  Hikari shut her eyes, not wanting to hear anymore, squeezing Chiaki’s hand.

“I-It’s okay…Nanami…” the Spirit Medium whispered.  “It’s over and done with…I don’t want to think about it anymore.”  Chiaki blinked at the black-haired girl before nodding quietly.

Teruteru’s body shook as some of the teens remarked that Nagito was crazy.  “Th-That’s right!  That’s why I tried to stop him, you know!”

Sonia clasped her hands, looking at the Cook sadly.  “But why…why did you kill Togami-san instead?”

“I-I don’t know!  Because…Komaeda-san was the one who was supposed to take that knife…Th-That’s why…I aimed and thrusted the iron skewer there…”  He suddenly screamed, grasping his hair in grief.  “But why is Togami-san the one who died!?  It was supposed to be Komaeda-san, not him!”

Hajime frowned.  “Togami-san…probably tried to stop Komaeda from grabbing the knife…And then…in place of Komaeda…”

“…No, I don’t think that’s it,” Chiaki said.

“…Huh?” Hajime blinked, confused.

“Perhaps…Togami-san was probably trying…to protect Komaeda-san.  I believe that Togami-san was also the one who pushed Seishin away from the back table…to protect her from any potential harm.”  Hikari felt her heart drop as she visualized what Byakuya did during the blackout, saving her life.

“Wh-What did you say!?” Nekomaru gawked.

“Cuz…Togami-san said so, didn’t he?”  Hikari bit her lip as she remembered what their dear friend told everyone earlier that day.

_“Don’t worry, as long as I’m the leader, I won’t let anyone become a victim.  I will guide you all!  That much, I promise.”_

Hikari felt a couple of tears already finding their way down her cheeks.  _Togami-san…_

“As long as he was wearing the night-vision goggles,” Chiaki guessed, “I’m sure he saw someone moving under the floorboards.  And that someone…was aiming for Komaeda-san.”

Mahiru looked upset.  “S-So Togami-san gave his life to protect Komaeda-san?  Even though he was trying to take the knife?”

Nagito laughed to himself.  “I see…Togami-san is amazing…To keep his promise to protect everyone, he actually threw his own life away…And yet…I never expected an ending like this…Such despair!”

_I swear…If I wasn’t feeling this weak…I would slap you so hard, Komaeda…_ Hikari thought bitterly, her fists shaking.

The Luckster hugged himself with a crazed look in his eyes.  “But…we shouldn’t let him die in vain.  I’m sure everyone will become even stronger by overcoming this despair…”

“Could it be…?” Peko asked, getting into a defensive position.  “You knew Togami-san would protect you, so you set him up to fail?”

“…Of course not.  I’m not that good at calculating.  I just took some precautionary measures.  The results of that were going to be my fun for later…Just kidding.”  Somehow, Hikari doubted that he was joking.  “But I never expected it would turn out like this.  I never thought I’d be the one to survive.  But since it was my life that had been saved, I didn’t want to just waste it…So that’s why I decided to help Hanamura-san.”

“Why…why…?” Hajime asked, exasperated.

Nagito crossed his arms.  “Well, because…Hanamura-san decided to commit his crime because he also had strong hope, right?  Which means his actions were motivated by hope…If he was willing to go that far, I thought he might truly be the person whose existence I was waiting for.”  The white-haired teen grinned.  “I thought he might be the hope that could defeat any type of despair.  In order for me to confirm it, I decided to help Hanamura-san!”

“Wh-What do you mean, ‘confirm’!?  Just stop it already!” Hajime shouted at him angrily.

“Plus…I couldn’t really help myself when I also empathized with Hanamura-san…After all, he wanted to kill me but he ended up killing Togami-san instead, you know?  If I left him in that confused state, this trial might have been ruined, right?  But in order for our hope to grow, this trial was absolutely necessary.  That’s why…I decided to help him!  I told him, ‘I don’t care if I die, so you should just focus on escaping this island…’  Those were my exact words to him before the investigation…Isn’t that right, Hanamura-san?”  Teruteru began to whimper, wringing his hands nervously.  “In the end, my help just wasn’t enough, and this turned out to be a bad ending for Hanamura-san…But you should be proud of yourself.  You will not die in vain!  You’ll become a splendid sacrifice for everyone else so their hopes can grow even more powerful!” Nagito consoled the Cook in his own twisted way.

“S-Sacrifice…!?” Teruteru screeched in horror.  Some of the boys muttered amongst themselves about what to do with Nagito due to his unpredictable behavior, Fuyuhiko even mentioning about offing him.

Monokuma giggled loudly.  “Kyaaaaah!  ‘Kill,’ he said!  High school students are soooo violent these days!”  Hikari almost jumped in surprise, forgetting that Monokuma was even there.  “But the person who’s gonna get killed now isn’t Nagito.  It’s Teruteru.”  Teruteru froze in fear, eyes glued to the bear.  Monokuma giggled some more.  “Puhuhuhuhu, what’s the matter?  You didn’t forget, right?  Cuz I told you at the beginning, right?  If the blackened loses, a fun punishment awaits them.”

Teruteru shook his head, holding out his hands.  “W-W-Wait…!  H-Hold on…!  Th-That was…how should I put it…an accident…Um…an act of self-defense…Uh…not intentional…Anyway, I feel it’s possible it’s not my fault…”

“It doesn’t matter if it’s an accident, self-defense, or intentional, a murder is still a murder!” roared Monokuma, arms in the air angrily.  “If you kill someone, that’s murder!”

“B-But…Isn’t there anything like sympathy judgments, extenuating circumstances…or maybe even probation…?”

“Impossible!  I don’t accept any of those claims!”

“Th-That’s not…” Teruteru whimpered.  He whirled around to his peers desperately.  “H-Hey!  Save me you guys!  I was only trying to stop Komaeda…so…!”

Monokuma leaned towards Teruteru, grinning knowingly.  “Be honest…After learning about Nagito’s plan, you saw an opportunity, right~?  You probably thought nobody would find out if you killed him after messing up his plan, right…~?  That’s what you thought, right~?”

“Y-You’re wrong!  I--!”

“There’s no way a person who has no malice…would kill someone like that.”  The Cook widened his eyes, wincing.  Monokuma smiled happily, his paws on his tummy.  “In truth, you were just desperate to kill Nagito…and willing to sacrifice everybody else to survive, right~?  Just be honest already…at least, in the end.”  The short, chubby boy fidgeted fearfully, his clothes stained with sweat before becoming emotionally overwhelmed, crying loudly.  Everyone frowned, knowing the truth.

“H-Hanamura-san…!” Sonia said sadly.

“If only you didn’t try to kill Komaeda-san…Togami-san would still be alive…” Mahiru chided.  “Why did you try to commit murder!?  Answer me, Hanamura-san!”

Teruteru hiccupped through sobs.  “I…I just…I just wanted to go home…I needed to go back home no matter whaaaaaaaat!  I promised…I promised Momma I’d become a full-fledged cook and save the Hanamura Diner.  Momma…is waiting for me to keep that promise.  Even though she’s sick…and alone…she’s still waiting for me.  That’s why I need to go home!”  Some of the girls started crying, feeling sympathy towards the unfortunate young man.  “B-But…if we were told that our memories were stolen…and that several years have passed since our first day…Then what happened to the Hanamura Diner!?  What happened to my mom who’s still waiting for me!?”

Peko grimaced, eyes closed.  “So you did believe what Monokuma said…”

“D-Dammit…” Kazuichi stuttered through tears, snot creeping down his nose.  “You were saying all along…‘It’s okay…I’ll never believe something like that…’  So…WHY!?”

“I-I still don’t believe it!” Teruteru insisted loudly.  “There’s no way I can believe it…It…it has to be a lie…That’s why I wanted to go home!  I wanted to…go home and confirm it…I wanted to make sure…it was all just a lie…I wanted to make sure that I still have a place to call home!  I don’t believe it…I don’t…believe…it…I-I wanted to confirm by any means necessary…I had to do something…That’s when I heard Komaeda-san’s plan.  I-I found out he was going to kill someone if I left him alone…That’s why…That’s…why…”

“Soooooo you wanted the first kill?” Monokuma blurted out cheerfully. 

The Cook was silent for a moment before he looked at everyone forlornly.  “I’m sorry…you guys…It doesn’t mean that I wanted to sacrifice any of you.  But…it was the only thing I could do…And…I ended up killing Togami-san…instead of Komaeda-san…Ah…I see…I think I’m the one…who went crazy.” 

Hikari stared at him, her throat feeling constricted as hot tears trickled down her face blurring her vision momentarily.  _I…I understand, Hanamura…and…thank you…You would have been the one who saved my life if Togami-san didn’t act in time…_

Monokuma giggled, his paws covering his mouth.  “I see, I see…interesting.  But…”  He put his paws behind his back, looking dejected.  “As far as motives to kill are concerned, wanting to see your mom is soooo booooring.”  Everyone looked at the bear as if he sprouted another head.

“Wha-!?” Hajime choked out.

“Soooooooo…” Monokuma began to say, his mood instantly lightening up.  “It seems there’s no point in basking in the afterglow, so let’s hurry up and begin the punishment!”

Monomi jumped in front of Monokuma in a panic, finally being free from her constraints.  “N-No!  You can’t!”

Monokuma swiftly gave the rabbit a strong right uppercut to the face, sending Monomi flying across the trial grounds.  “Jeez!  Get outta my way!”  Once he made sure Monomi wouldn’t interrupt again, Monokuma took a breath.  “Well then…now that the annoying little sister has been dealt with, let’s get back to business…”

“W-Wait…!  H-Hold on a sec…” Teruteru begged breathlessly.  “I’m not asking…for forgiveness anymore…B-But…at least…”

Monokuma started laughing uproariously.  “Now then, I’ve prepared a very special punishment for Hanamura Teruteru, the SHSL Cook!”

“Hey, Hey!  Call me ‘Chef’!  No, wait, that’s not what I--!  P-Please…Please tell me at least…What happened to the Hanamura Diner…to Momma?”

Still ignoring the poor boy, Monokuma shouted gleefully, “Let’s give it everything we got!  It’s…PUNISHMENT TIIIIME!”

“L-Lies…I won’t believe this…I…won’t…believe…it…!”  Teruteru screamed as loud as he can.  “…MOOOOOOOOMMMMAAAAA!”  Monokuma grabbed a gavel out of thin air as a red button rose up from the ground in front of him.  His left eye glowed a bright red as he raised the mallet high in the air, still sitting on his throne.  One he slammed the gavel onto the big red button, a black screen appeared on the big screen with red pixelated graphics showing Monokuma walking by Teruteru and grabbing him by the collar, dragging him away.  The words “GAME OVER” and “TERUTERU HAS BEEN FOUND GUILTY.  TIME FOR THE PUNISHMENT!” stuck out on the screen.

Suddenly, a steel claw attached to a linked chain burst out from a side door, speeding past everyone, heading straight at the frightened Teruteru.  The claw mercilessly clamped around the Cook’s neck, Teruteru panicking, his hands automatically trying to break free.  However, the chain pulled back with such speed that all Teruteru could do was just hang on as his body was dragged across the floor to the side door, the door closing behind him.  Another screen popped up on the tablet above the teens.  It showed Teruteru tied up against a pole by a shore, facing a sunset and an incoming helicopter that resembled a shark.  Monokuma was operating the military aircraft, wearing a military vest and headphones.  He pushed a button on a joystick in front of him, causing multiple missiles hurtling towards the defenseless Cook.  A huge explosion erupted one they reached the boy.  Once the smoke cleared, Teruteru was still all right, but dazed and covered in a yellow buttery substance.  However, the punishment wasn’t over for a long shot. 

The helicopter then produced a large rocket underneath it, Monokuma sending it straight at Teruteru.  It made an even bigger explosion, a plume of smoke rising from the impact point.  When the teens were able to see the scene clearly again, they saw their friend covered in white feathers, feathers floating around him as he coughed.  Moments later, the helicopter attached a rope to the pole Teruteru was tied to, lifting both pole and Teruteru into the air.  It flew across the water to a remote island that housed an enormous active volcano.  Hikari’s heart sank as the aircraft carried Teruteru straight to the volcano, hovering above the spewing lava.  However, she couldn’t look away as the helicopter dropped Teruteru right into the fiery molten rock, seeing Teruteru’s look of sheer terror as he plunged down into it, the lava literally frying his body before the screen went to static.

Days Left: 19

Survivors: 15


	10. Lingering Doom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of Teruteru's execution and the second island becomes available to the survivors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the Danganronpa series. I only own Hikari Seishin and her family. I also do not own any video games I mention in this fanfic.
> 
> Note: I try to make the story as canon as I can with obvious creative liberties. Please let me know if any of the original cast is OOC and I will do my best to fix it.
> 
> Author's Note: I hope everyone got the pun of Chapter Nine's title. I really wanted to use that title for Teruteru's execution just for the wordplay. I like how this chapter came out and I hope you guys like it too. Thank you for reading and supporting my story so far!

Monokuma laughed hysterically as everyone stared at the tablet’s screen in sheer disbelief that Teruteru was killed in such a dramatic manner.  “YAHOOOOOOOOOO!!! EXTREEEEEME!!!”  The bear took a deep breath to calm down.  “Phew!  The adrenaline is rushing through me!” Momoni cried out in horror, her paws to her cheeks.  However, she wasn’t the only one who was horrified.

“H-Hanamura-san!” Mikan squeaked, looking very frazzled.

“D-Dammit…” Kazuichi mumbled.  His face was covered in either sweat, tears, or snot.  “A-Are you…fucking serious…ughhhh…!”  Ibuki was unmoving, but appearing to be very overwhelmed, her eyes rolled back and foam coming out of her mouth.

Sonia closed her eyes as tears fell down her cheeks.  “How cruel…Why…did you do something so cruel?”

Monokuma stared at the Princess blankly.  “Wha-wha?  Didn’t you learn when you were in elementary school?  If you badmouth someone…The teacher writes it in a note, and makes whoever you badmouthed read it to you in front of the whole class…”  He placed his white paw behind his head sheepishly.  “When that happens, only then do you think about how it feels to be badmouthed.  The same applies to murder.”

“Y-You’re the one who drove him to do it!” Mahiru shouted, glaring at the stuffed animal.

Mikan sobbed, trying to wipe away the tears from her eyes.  “Ugh…so cruel…This is just too cruel…!”

“Well, it can’t be helped,” Monokuma stated.  “Rules are rules and this is the killing rule after all!”

“What…rule…?” Hajime softly croaked, his throat very dry.  He cleared his throat before yelling at the psychotic bear.  “You’re the one who’s breaking the rules!”

Monokuma paused, starting to get irritated and turned toward Hajime.  “Huh?  I can’t just let that slide…What do you mean?”

Hajime stared him down angrily.  “When you mentioned the motive…Didn’t you also promise something!?” 

Hikari looked at Hajime puzzled before remembering what the motive was.  _Our memories…our school memories…but...were our memories really stolen?_

Hajime pointed at the bear.  “Wh-Why…why didn’t you tell Hanamura-san about his mom or his diner!?  He had a right to know!”

“Yeah…us too…” Fuyuhiko agreed, trying to keep his anger in check and failing.  “We all have a right to know…!  Hey!  Hurry up and tell us!  What did you mean earlier when you mentioned our ‘school memories’?”

Monokuma simply giggled, covering his mouth with his paws.  “Oh yeah, I did promise to return your memories after the killing began…”

Monomi started to panic.  “H-Huh?  You’re going to do it?  But…telling them is kind of…”  Hikari quickly looked at Monomi in shock.

_S-so…they really did steal our memories!?  Did they take my talent too…?_

Monokuma continued giggling.  “But I never told you guys that I’d tell you right away.”

Everyone looked taken aback before starting to feel anger raging throughout their bodies.  Akane growled.  “Th-That’s not fair!”

“Of course, I’ll keep my promise to return your memories someday.  But…it’s still not clear when that ‘someday’ will be…”  He leaned back before roaring into laughter and disappearing from sight. 

Monomi seemed extremely nervous, her ears drooping and sweating profusely.  “U-Um…I must excuse myself as well!  Th-There’s something that I need to do!”  Then she, too, vanished.

Kazuichi whimpered, pulling his beanie down to try to cover his watery eyes.  “Wh-What the heck…!?”

Ibuki’s mouth dropped in surprise.  “That’s not fair!  They both ran away!”

The redhead frowned, gripping her hand to her chest.  “M-Monokuma had us wrapped around his finger after all…!”  She looked at the big screen which turned off.  “Hanamura-san…you stupid…!”

Nagito sighed sadly.  “An ending like this is just full of despair…A seriously tragic despair…But still, at times like this…”  The Luckster smiled at his classmates.  “As the symbols of hope, you guys need to keep doing your best!”

“You…Why’re you smilin’?” Akane snarled, still not in a great mood.

Ibuki gasped at the white-haired boy.  “How can you smile in a situation like this, you creep!”

Nagito frowned slightly.  “Hold on…I’m sad too, you know…Didn’t I tell you?  From the bottom of my heart, I truly love you all.  You SHSLs who inspire hope…and your splendid talents.  There’s no way I can be happy when we’ve lost such a talented individual.”  Hikari bit the inside of her cheek, not buying one bit, staring at him suspiciously.

Fuyuhiko didn’t believe him either, getting pissed off.  “Don’t fuck with me!  Don’t go sayin’ creepy shit!  I’ll fucking kill you!”

Nagito only chuckled, smiling.  “…Please, kill me any time.”

“…Huh?” Fuyuhiko mumbled, a troubled expression etched on his face.

Nagito’s laughter rose an octave, gazing at the Yakuza openly.  “If you hate me, I don’t mind you killing me!  I’ve already prepared myself to become your stepping stone!  If absolute hope can be born from that…then my life is nothing special.”

Hikari frowned, not understanding why Nagito saw himself as worthless.  _Everyone deserves to live…even if they don’t think so…I mean, they’re alive for a reason._

The Luckster beamed at everyone.  “However, if you’re going to kill me, make sure you discuss it with me beforehand, okay?  You see, if you do that, then I can cooperate with the killer.”

“Are you seriously…intending to help the killer?” Hajime asked warily.

“It’s really not that big of a deal.  If you’re students of Hope’s Peak Academy…If you’re the symbols of hope who possess the chosen talents…Then it shouldn’t matter to you guys at all if I cooperate with the killer, right!?”

Gundham crossed his arms, feeling a bit uneasy from what Nagito was saying.  “Hmph…Declaring so confidently that you’ll side with the killer…”

Hiyoko pursed her lips.  “Maybe this was his plan all along.  Since he’s willing to work with the killer, he wants us to think it’s better for us not to kill him…”

“Well, I don’t mind what you think of me…” Nagito chortled.  “In actuality, thanks to Togami-san, I’m starting to feel a small desire to live.  Mostly, I just want to watch everyone destroy all the despair that comes for you, one after the other…!  Ahahaha, just kidding!”

Akane glared daggers at the boy.  “Hey, can I punch ya?  I just won’t be satisfied till I punch ya!”

Hikari sighed, feeling very exhausted.  At this point, Chiaki and Sonia linked arms with the Spirit Medium.  Hajime’s mouth tilted downwards, tired himself.   “Can we stop this?  Reasoning with him will be a waste of time…” 

Nagito gaped slightly at Hajime.  “Huh?  Even Hinata hates me now?”  He smiled sadly.  “That stings…I felt you and I were quite similar.”

“What does that…?”

“You hold a special feeling towards Hope’s Peak Academy…just like me,” Nagito interjected.

“Don’t put me in the same category as you…!” Hajime countered.

“But how can you say you’re not?  Monokuma said it himself…We don’t know anything about each other’s true nature.  No, if it’s true that our school memories were stolen, it’s the same as not knowing our true selves, too.  Especially for you…right?  Someone who can’t even remember what his talent is…”  Nagito stared straight at Hajime.

Hajime stared back silently before saying, “Owari-san…please feel free to punch him.”

Akane jumped from foot to foot, getting pumped up.  “Will do!”

Nagito sweatdropped, holding his hands out in defense.  “…H-Hold on!”

Sonia started to cry, standing beside Hikari, upset that her friends were going to fight one another.  “P-Please stop this at once!  Nothing will come from fighting like this.  There…there is something else that we must do.”

Hikari raised an eyebrow.  “There is?”

“We must not argue with each other in a place like this,” Sonia pleaded with a serious expression on her face, tears slowly subsiding.  “There…is something more important we must do.”

“…Which is?” Gundham asked.

“Do our best.”  Hikari closed her eyes with a knowingly smile.  Some of the others seemed confused.  “Well…We must first leave here…and get some rest.  And then…we shall all work together and do our best.  Do our best so that we may never come back here again.”  Sonia frowned and said softly, “That is what…I believe we must do now…I am sorry…If only I was a better motivational speaker…”

“No…That really touched my heart…!” blubbered a teary-eyed Kazuichi.  “You’re totally right…!  What we need to do right now…is do our best…!  If we do our best…it’s definitely going to pay off, right?”

Sonia smiled gently.  “Yes, that is right.”

Hikari nodded in agreement, smiling at the Princess.  “Your words remind me of Togami-san’s encouragement for us.  I believe he also told us to do our best too.”

Fuyuhiko placed his hands in his pockets.  “But…what do we have to work hard at?”

Sonia just kept smiling.  “I do not know, but we must do our best!”

“…Jeez, I don’t get you at all.  Are you some kind of moron?”

“Well, it’s fine if you don’t know,” Chiaki said blankly, her left arm still liked with Hikari’s right arm.  “What matters is that you hold on to the feeling that you have to do your best.”  She smiled softly.  “So…let’s do our best.  Let’s make sure a killing like this never happens again.”

Mahiru looked worried, frowning.  “It’s scary, but…doing our best is our only option.  There’s no way I’m doing what Komaeda-san said.”

Everyone gave some form of agreement that they all would do their best.  Hajime nodded.  “Yeah, you’re right.  Let’s definitely work together and leave this island!”  With that said, the teenagers repeated their goal to do their best over and over as they headed to the elevator that would bring them out of that dismal place.

Sonia and Chiaki walked back to the cottages with Hikari, arms still linked with hers to make sure that the Spirit Medium got back safely.  Hikari smiled tiredly as they reached her cottage.  “Thanks Nanami…Nevermind-san…”

Sonia smiled encouragingly.  “You don’t have to be so formal with me, Seishin-san.”  Hikari’s smile grew a bit and nodded.  “Remember, we are all going to do our best!”

Chiaki stared at Hikari quietly while Sonia waved good night and walked to her temporary home.  “Are you sure you’re okay?”

Hikari opened the door.  “I’ll be fine.  I think some sleep will help.  See you in the morning.”  Chiaki blinked and nodded as Hikari stepped into her cottage, closing the door behind her.  The black-haired girl took off her shoes, necklace, and glasses before collapsing on her bed and falling asleep.  Chiaki frowned and went to the hotel, feeling wide awake. 

The Gamer knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep at all after the murder, trial, and execution.  She wondered who was behind this killing game and Monokuma as well as how Monokuma could have possibly entered into the Neo World Program.  She knew the answers wouldn’t be obtained so easily…she’d just have to try her best like everyone else.  For that moment though, she needed to play the arcade game in the hotel’s lobby to relax and get into a lull.  Playing video games not only gave her joy, but also a sense of peace.  It was how she was programmed after all.

The AI quietly opened the door to the hotel lobby, closing the door behind her.  She walked up to the arcade game “Dig Dug” and kneeled down, turning on the power switch with a simple flick of her finger.  A sense of peace washed over the girl as the game’s audio came on.  She stood up and loosened her fingers with a smile before she started the first game of the night.  Once in a while, Chiaki would step back and stretch out her hands in order to keep them from getting cramped.  During her minute breaks, she would look out to the window to silently watch the scenery.  She happened to see Hajime walking around the pool and staring at the sky while the pink-eyed girl stretched out her arms.  She observed him briefly before going back to her game.  She had almost beaten her earlier score so she was confident that by the end of the night she’d have a new record.

From the corner of her right eye, Chiaki saw the lobby door open slowly.  She kept her cool, her hands moving over the buttons due to muscle memory.  She sensed the presence of someone walking towards her…by her…past her…towards the stairs to the hotel restaurant.

 _Maybe they wanted a snack…_ Chiaki surmised, her eyes re-focusing on the game.  Suddenly, the game over screen flashed brightly in her face.  She stared at it in silence before realizing that she most likely lost this early into her eighth attempt to beat her top score was because she was distracted by whoever was here.  She couldn’t shake this feeling that she had to go upstairs.  So, Chiaki turned off the game and turned to the stairs.  As she placed one foot on the first step, she heard a faint thud.  Heart starting to beat faster, Chiaki quickly sped up the stairs to the darkened kitchen and dining area.

The person was walking out of the kitchen clumsily, eyes glazed over and holding a knife loosely in their grip.  Chiaki walked a few steps into the dining area, studying the situation.  She kept her guard up, but knew something bad would happen if she didn’t do something fast.  The person very slowly lifted the hand wielding the knife as if intending to attack the Gamer.  Chiaki, thinking on her feet, stepped close to the person and slapped their wrist hard.  Fortunately, the knife dropped to the floor with a clatter and the person took a step back, holding their wrist.

“N-Nanami…?” Hikari stammered, seeing a very blurry outline of her friend.  She felt her whole body shake and saw a hazy image of a knife by her feet. “What…What is going on?”

Chiaki put her hands on the other girl’s shoulders, causing Hikari to look back at her.  “I don’t know…you didn’t seem yourself, I think.  Has this happened before?”

Hikari frowned, trying to think.  “U-Um…I…My parents have told me that I sleepwalk once in a while…not that often though…”  The Spirit Medium closed her eyes tightly, her shaking intensifying.  “I…I grabbed a knife…?  N-No…Wh-What if…I…I could’ve killed you…”  She started sobbing bitterly, her hands quickly covering her face.

Chiaki’s expression softened.  “But you didn’t, Seishin.  I’m still here and you’re still here.  Come on, it’s been a very stressful night.  Let’s go back and sleep.”

Hikari shook her head furiously, still feeling the stinging pain on her wrist.  “N-No!  What if I sleepwalk again…?  I’m…scared…”

Chiaki stared at the Spirit Medium breaking down.  It wasn’t too shocking…Hikari was accused of murder to find out that she would’ve been the first victim if Byakuya and Teruteru had not intervened.  All those feelings must have transferred to her unconscious leading to this scenario.  It was understandable that Hikari did not want to go back asleep.  “Hmmm…well…how about we play a game in my cottage?  It’ll help you relax...maybe.” 

Hikari hiccupped a bit, contemplating if she should or not before giving in.  “O-okay…” 

Chiaki smiled and took Hikari’s arm.  “We have to stop at yours first…you need your glasses and shoes.”  Hikari nodded weakly as Chiaki guided her down the stairs outside since it was faster.

“I hope…no one saw me like that…” Hikari whispered fearfully, shivering slightly at the chilly night air.

The Gamer knew that Hajime was out here earlier at some point.  She speculated that he must have went to sleep before Hikari’s trip to the hotel only because she had a feeling he would have gone after her if he saw her in this disheveled state.  Chiaki turned to her friend comfortingly.  “No…I don’t think anyone saw you...”  When they reached Hikari’s cottage, they walked through the doorway, the door having been left ajar.  Chiaki swept around the room with her eyes for anything suspicious as Hikari put on her red framed glasses and slipped on her shoes.  The Gamer wanted to make sure that there was not going to be another killing because Hikari didn’t close the door due to being asleep.

“I’m ready, Nanami.”  Chiaki turned to the black-haired girl and nodded.  Once outside, Hikari locked the door and they made their way to Chiaki’s living space.  Chiaki took out her own key and unlocked her door, opening the door and gesturing Hikari to enter.  The Spirit Medium stepped in, not too surprised by what she saw. 

The room was similar to her own: Chiaki’s bed was situated exactly where Hikari’s was in her own room, the only difference between the two beds were that Hikari’s pillows were white and Chiaki’s were pink, and the bathroom was identical to Hikari’s.  The positioning of the surveillance camera and monitor were different: the camera in Chiaki’s room was set on the back right corner directly above a black arcade machine with a huge red Monokuma eye on the side and the monitor was lofted in the center on the back wall above two windows covered by pink billowy curtains.  A couple of plants hung in her room, one below the monitor and above her big black flat screen television and the other plant hanging next to the arcade machine above a poster of a girl Hikari presumed to be a protagonist of a video game she didn’t know.  A potted plant stood beside the bathroom door.  A tan colored couch rested against the back wall next to the wooden coffee table, a wooden bedside table behind the long table.  The flat screen was positioned on the coffee table facing the front wall.  Multiple game systems laid around the floor, a small rug on the right side of the room with a small furry pink floor chair on top to provide comfort during long hours of play.  A couple of empty snack wrappers and soda cans scattered around the chair.

 _This is really a typical video gamer’s room…_ Hikari thought as she studied the room, Chiaki closing the door behind her.  _Maybe I could stop at the supermarket tomorrow and get a couple of plants…my room feels a bit…empty compared to Nanami’s…_

Chiaki stood waiting patiently as Hikari looked around.  “Do you have any preferences of video games?”

Hikari blinked and turned to her sheepishly.  “Sorry…I…never really played before…”  A sparkle gleamed in Chiaki’s eye as she took the bespectacled girl to the rug, almost forcefully sitting her down.  Hikari gawked at Chiaki in bewilderment as Chiaki turned on the television and connected a couple of wires to it, moving to an older game system, placing a game cartridge in and pressed a button.  The television screen became alive with white text.

“Then we can play a classic multiplayer game.  This is considered to be the first commercially successful video game with obvious reasons,” Chiaki explained, her face glowing with excitement at the opportunity of showing her passion of video games to another person.  The hooded girl handed Hikari a controller and started to explain how to play the game with the controller’s buttons and directional pad.  Once she believed that Hikari understood the controls, Chiaki started the game.  At first, Hikari had a slow start, Chiaki earning ten points before the Spirit Medium got the hang of playing, earning herself one point before the match ended.

By the end of their fourth match – Chiaki winning every game, but Hikari managing to score a couple of points each game – the blue-eyed young woman yawned loudly.  Chiaki gave her a side glance.  “Tired?”

Hikari let out another yawn before nodding.  “Mmm…I still don’t want to sleep.  Can I watch you play a game?  I honestly would rather watch you play than play video games myself.”  She smiled shyly.

The Gamer blinked and shrugged.  “Okay.  I’m just glad I didn’t steer you away from gaming because of my enthusiasm for it...I think.”  Chiaki got up from her perch on the rug and turned off the game to change systems and games as Hikari giggled to herself.

“Of course not, Nanami.  I’ll be happy to play games with you as long as you’re patient with me.”

Chiaki started up the system before sitting back down next to Hikari.  Hikari wasn’t quite sure if she knew what the game was until the title screen flashed its name: “Dark Cloud.”  “It’s not that popular of a game,” Chiaki mentioned as she started the game.  “I like to play it once in a while.  It’s just a role-playing game in a fantasy setting.  The main objective, to put it simply, is to defeat an evil genie and save the kingdom.”  Chiaki continued to explain certain features of the game she liked about the game as she progressed through the main plot.  Only until Chiaki reached the halfway point did she notice Hikari’s head resting against her right shoulder, the Spirit Medium having finally fallen asleep.

Chiaki stared blankly at the sleeping girl before turning back to the game.  _I’m glad she went to sleep…but why am I happy?  I really don’t understand…and her body’s always so warm.  At times, I feel uncomfortable, but my body just moves on its own to physically comfort her.  After this is all over, I’ll ask Onii-san about this…he might know why I’m having these issues._   The Gamer continued to play, holding her breath during boss fights, paying full attention to the television, the light from the screen illuminating her pale pink eyes.  She let out a deep breath once she defeated the final boss as sunlight was trying to enter the room from the windows, the curtains blocking out most of the light.  Not long after did the morning bells sound off throughout the island.

*Ding dong, bing bong*

“Ahem,” Monokuma recited his morning announcement on Chiaki’s monitor above the TV as if nothing out of the ordinary happened the previous night. “Hope’s Peak Academy’s School Trip Executive Committee has an announcement to make…”  Luckily for Chiaki, Hikari was starting to wake up, yawning loudly and sat up with a stretch of her arms.  Chiaki got up and turned off her game.  “Goooood morning, everyone!  Looks like today will be another beautiful, tropical day!  Now then, let’s show some enthusiasm and make sure we give it our all today!”

“Oh!” Hikari gasped, looking around frantically.  “I’m so sorry!  I fell asleep here.  I hope I wasn’t a bother…”

“You weren’t,” Chiaki said assertively, looking at the Spirit Medium with her usual blank stare.

Hikari sweatdropped slightly.  “Um…did you sleep at all?”

“No.”

“…”

“…”

“Uh…Well…I’m going to go get myself ready for breakfast…take a shower…and whatnot…” Hikari said slowly, feeling awkward with the silence, getting up and dusted off her skirt.

“Okay,” Chiaki nodded in understanding as Hikari headed to the door, slipping on her shoes.  “I’ll see you in the hotel restaurant for breakfast.”  Hikari stopped at the doorway, her hand resting on the doorknob.

“Hey…Nanami…?”  Hikari turned slightly to see the other girl.  Chiaki blinked as Hikari smiled softly.  “Thank you…for last night…”  Chiaki felt the corners of her mouth turn upward and waved a hand which Hikari reciprocated and left the Gamer’s cottage.  Chiaki wasn’t quite sure what part of last night the Spirit Medium was thanking her for…the moral support during the trial, stopping her from killing someone, keeping her company the rest of the night, or maybe it was all of it?  The young AI sighed to herself before making sure she had everything she needed for the day and left her home, locking the door behind her.

After getting ready for the day, Hikari reached the hotel, a dark feeling gnawing in her stomach.  It could just be from hunger since she really didn’t eat much of anything since the beginning of last night’s party, but she knew it most likely was from anxiety about her sleepwalking last night.

 _What if it happens again…?  What if I kill someone in my sleep…What if…_   The constant “what if”s plagued her mind, but she couldn’t also run from the situation.  All of her friends are there and it was their unofficial meeting place to discuss what they should do.  Hikari bit the tip of her thumb, her legs still not moving to the door.  Then she remembered what Sonia wanted everyone to do from that day onward.

 _“Do our best.”  That’s right…I just…have to do my best._   Hikari repeated this phrase over and over in her mind as she leaned forward in order to make herself move, her legs guiding her to the hotel stairs outside that led to the restaurant.  As she took heavy steps up the stairs, Hikari heard voices coming from the open area of the second floor.  _Seems like I’m the last one arriving…_

“Still, I understand about Mr. Ham Hands, but is there even a reason for us to be sad about Hanamura’s death?” Hikari heard Hiyoko’s childish voice as the black-haired girl entered the room and walked to the closest table, grabbing a plate and putting various breakfast foods on it.  She looked around and the feeling in her stomach felt tighter.

 _The air feels so heavy in here…Everyone’s so down…But it’s understandable…I mean…Two of our friends were killed…_   Hikari frowned as she grabbed a glass of juice and sat down to Akane’s right.

Kazuichi’s hand ran over his pink hair, looking at the Traditional Dancer with unease.  “Wh-What the heck do you mean…?”

Hiyoko blinked, her sleeves covering her hands so that only the tips of her fingers were visible.  “Well, he was a crazy guy who killed someone!  He totally deserved to die!”

“Hey…” Peko said softly, looking stoic as always.  “I understand how you feel, but you’re going too far.”

Hiyoko smiled smugly, looking to the side.  “Huuuh?  Is it all right to defend a killer?  Are you trying to justify murder?”

“No…that was not my intention, but…” Peko answered, sweatdropping slightly.

“Then you gotta hate him more than ever.  You gotta hate him from the bottom of your heart,” Hiyoko demanded, her expression becoming a bit creepy, leaning to the Swordswoman.  “He’s a stupid, piece of trash, bastard who committed the lowest crime possible.  He derserved to get killed.  In fact, I’m rather relieved that he was executed.  If I could have, I would have totally spat on him too.”

Hikari deadpanned.  _Of course you would have, Saionji…_

Akane lifted her head and started sniffing the air.  “Hm…Hmmmm?”  Hikari glanced at the Gymnast, at first thinking she was smelling the food in front of the Spirit Medium, but the brunette was looking away from Hikari.

Hiyoko pouted, staring at Akane.  “Geez, what gives?  Does a pea-brain like you have something to complain about?”

“Well, it’s not about that, but…” Akane raised an eyebrow.  “…somethin’ smells, don’tcha think?”

Hikari’s face deadpanned once again.  _Are you a bloodhound…?_

“Don’t tell me…” Ibuki smiled nervously, poking her index fingers together.  “It better not be another dead body!”

Akane concentrated on determining the mystery scent.  “Nah, it’s not the smell of blood…this time.  It just smells really bad.”

Hajime sweatdropped.  “S-Smells bad…?”

“Kinda like how a bar or nightclub smells after closin’ time, you see.”

“Hey, hey, hey!  I don’t know those smells!” Kazuichi exclaimed, pointing at Akane.  “You must’ve had a pretty rough life!”  Everyone started smelling around them, trying to confirm Akane’s claim.

“…Now that you mention it, I do smell something.  It’s like a sewer or rotting garbage…” Peko said with a slight disgusted expression.

Hikari put down her utensils, having been eating during the conversation until that moment, the odor reaching her nose.  She suddenly lost her appetite as she plugged her nose with a pinch of her fingers.

“I got it!” Hiyoko cried out, jumping happily.  “I know what it is!  Nidai’s breath probably stinks!”

Nidai howled in laughter, hand rubbing the back of his head.  “Gah-hahahaha!  You’ve got me there!”

Hajime still sweatdropped.  “She didn’t say anything remotely funny just now…”

Akane shook her head slowly.  “No, it’s not Nidai.  This smell is comin’ from…”  She pushed herself up from her chair and walked around the room, nose pointing upwards.  When Akane stopped, she stood in front of the source of the stench.  “…you, Saionji.”  Hikari covered her mouth with her free hand to hide the urge to laugh, almost blowing a raspberry.

“…Huh?” Hiyoko blinked, mouth agape.

The Mechanic stepped closer to the short blonde and took a whiff of the air.  “Wh-Whoa!”  He almost stumbled backwards, surprised, waving a hand in front of his face.  “It’s true!  Saionji…you reek!”

“Tch!  A rotten smell stings my eyes…!” Gundham grunted, gritting his teeth.  “As if a demonic eclipse is about to commence…!”  Hiyoko whimpered a little, eyes wide at the tables turning on her.  A second later, she suddenly cried loudly, head tilted back and eyes closed, having the appearance of a young child whose candy was taken from her.  Everyone was taken aback at the Traditional Dancer’s reaction.

“Oh my, my!  She’s crying!” Ibuki exclaimed in surprise.

“Hey!” Mahiru yelled at the group, yet her glare was directed at the boys.  “I’ve said it before, but you guys are really insensitive!”

Kazuichi rubbing the back of his head, trying to save himself.  “Ah, no…it actually doesn’t smell **that** bad…I mean, as long as I breathe through my mouth…”  Unfortunately, Hiyoko only cried louder, much to his dismay.

Akane placed a hand on her hip.  “Are you even takin’ baths?”

Hiyoko stared at the taller girl, hiccupping, her cheeks having a tinge of pink.  “…No.”

“Y-You haven’t bathed…!?” Hajime asked in shock.

I…I can’t help it…” Hiyoko’s voice cracked, biting her lower lip in an attempt to prevent incoming sobs.  “I can’t tie my kimono sash by myself…”  Her efforts proved futile when Hiyoko began crying noisily again.  Hikari frowned, feeling pangs of guilt now for almost laughing at Hiyoko.

Mahiru, the mother figure of the group, smiled gently towards her friend.  “H-Hey…Saionji…You don’t have to cry so much…I’ll tie your sash for you, okay?” 

The blonde pig-tailed girl sniffled and hiccupped, staring at the Photographer warily as if not sure if she should trust her.  “…Really?”

Mahiru closed her eyes, letting out a nervous giggle.  “I can only tie a simple knot, but…if that’s okay with you, I can teach you.”

“Yaaaay!” Hiyoko cheered, jumping again in glee, her face blotchy from crying, snot dribbling down from her nostrils.  “I love you, Koizumi!  I’ll give you a kiss!”  At this point, she practically glomped the redhead.

Mahiru squirmed in Hiyoko’s arms, blushing lightly from embarrassment.  “H-Hey Saionji…You don’t have to hug me.”

“…Kehehe, she appears to have taken a liking to you,” Gundham chuckled, arms crossed and eyes closed.

Ibuki smiled happily, her tongue sticking out slightly as she winked, her open eye sparkling.  “Welcome to the world of girl love!  It’s slippery when wet!”  Hikari almost choked on her toast when she heard that.

Mikan looked around with concern.  “Um…anyway…What happened to Kuzuryuu and Komaeda?  It seems they are both…not here…”  The Spirit Medium, recovering from that near-death experience, blinked and looked around the room, also finding the two boys to be absent.

_Tsumiki’s right…I thought everyone would be here._

“I saw Kuzuryuu earlier near the hotel,” Peko affirmed.  “I invited him to breakfast, but he declined.”

Hajime shrugged.  “Well, that’s just Kuzuryuu being Kuzuryuu, but…”

Akane raised an eyebrow.  “Who cares about Komaeda!?”

“He is cursed…A child who summons misfortune, so to speak,” the Breeder pointed out.

Hajime frowned.  “Well…that may be, but…”

“J-Just letting you know…” Nekomaru disclaimed, “I don’t know anything!”  The Team Manager fidgeted even more as everyone was starting to stare at him.  “W-Without hesitation, I-I don’t know anything about Komaeda at all!”

Hikari sighed.  _That sounds suspicious…Granted, I don’t care about Komaeda right now, but…I don’t want him dead.  I don’t want to go through another trial._

Kazuichi chimed in.  “That’s right!  Forget him!  Let’s just forget about that creep already!”

Hikari sweatdropped.  _That’s even more suspicious!_

Chiaki stared at the two nervous boys and tilted her head.  “…They’re obviously acting suspicious, aren’t they?”

“I-I’m not suspicious!” Kazuichi yelled defensively, sweat starting to form on his face.

Nekomaru nodded, sweat already shimmering on his face.  “Hmph!  That’s right!  I-I’m not suspicious!”

“What’s up?  Did someone get kidnapped or something?” a high-pitched voice called out.  A second later, Monokuma popped in from the kitchen.

“Y-You came just at the right time!”

“Hm?  At the right time?”

Nekomaru grimaced, clenching his fist.  “N-No…it’s nothing…”

Monokuma started blushing, his body temperature rising which is quite a feat for a stuffed animal.  “I don’t really get it, but…you must’ve yearned for me.  Your outlook on life has changed due to my cuteness, so your body can’t stand to live without me, huh? ‘I-I can’t help myself, you know…M-My body…reacts to Monokuma…on its own…’”  The bear covered his mouth with his paws.  “…Somethin’ like that?”

Hikari closed her eyes, eyebrow twitching in annoyance.  “I don’t think so…”

“…Who cares about that?” Mahiru said, looking on edge since Monokuma showed up.  “Just hurry up and tell us why you’re here.”

“To be honest, I’m searching, too,” Monokuma informed the group.  “My valued servant…has disappeared.”

 “Servant?” Hajime wondered out loud.

Monokuma clasped his paws behind his back, looking down.  “You know, my Monobeasts…One of them just disappeared…”  Everyone looked confused, not sure what to make of this.  Monokuma tilted his head, a paw to his chin.  “Maybe I cut back on the cost of their food too much?  Perhaps they’re boycotting me?”

Gundham kept his calm and collected pose.  “‘But…that guy is the weakest of the League of Four…How shameful for a Monobeast to lose to a mere human…’…That’s what you want to say, right?” the Chuunibyou asked with a small smirk.  Monokuma looked at the Breeder with annoyance, growling slightly.  “Though this is merely the prelude, the climax will occur soon after…”

Hikari blinked at this minor confrontation between man and beast…well, stuffed beast.  _Even though Tanaka is a bit weird, he does sound very cool at times._

Getting fired up, the gothic looking teen got into an intimidating pose.  “Now then, let me hear your scream!  I shall make such sweet music for you!”  But this only irritated the orchestrator of the killing game even more.

“Hmhmhmhmhm!?” mumbled the evil bear.

Mahiru sighed heavily.  “Hey Tanaka…You should stop playing with that stuffed animal.”

“I’m still being called a stuffed animal…” Monokuma whined, turning his back on everyone, dejected.

Hikari raised an eyebrow.  _Well, you are one though…_

Monokuma continued to mutter to himself, but loud enough for everyone to hear.  “Oh well…It looks like you guys don’t know anything about my Monobeast either…Then it’s a waste of time for me to worry about it.  I don’t wanna go bald from worrying too much.”  The stuffed bear turned to the teens.  “A wise catbot once said, ‘Our eyes are on the front so we can keep moving forward!’”  As everyone wondered about what he was talking about, Monokuma disappeared from sight.

Peko looked concerned.  “Hey, what do you think he meant just now?  He said something about a Monobeast disappearing…”  The swordswoman wasn’t the only one concerned.  Hikari stared at her now empty plate, fingering her necklace.

 _A Monobeast missing can be a problem…What if it goes berserk?  What if it will attack us unprovoked?_  As Hikari thought of worst case scenarios that involve a rampaging Monobeast, the two-toned stuffed rabbit popped into the room.

“Um…Were you in the middle of something?” Monomi asked timidly.  “If so, I can just come back later…”

“Then leave,” Akane commanded with a serious air.

“Kya!” Monomi sobbed.  “At least ask me to leave kindly!”

Chiaki blinked and stared at the bunny.  “Ah, before you leave, I want to ask you something.  Did you have anything to do with the missing Monobeast?”  People started perking up, turning to Chiaki and Monomi.

Monomi jumped up with a paw raised high.  “Tada!  Yes!  That’s right!”  She placed her paws on her hips proudly.  “Tadaaaaa!  I’m the one who defeated the Monobeast!”  Many of the teens felt their jaw drop, wondering how on earth Monomi managed to deal with a Monobeast.

“Y-You did!?” Hajime asked, dumbfounded.

“You serious?” Kazuichi doubted, itching his cheek.  “Defeating a monster like that…How the hell did someone like you pull that off?”

“Anyway!” Monomi said cheerfully, ignoring questions she didn’t want to answer as usual.  “I’ve released the bridge gate for you all!”

“Bridge gate?” Hikari asked.

Chiaki tilted her head.  “Hey, hey.  If the gate is open…That means we can go to the new island across the bridge, right?”

“I-IS THAT TRUUUUEEEEEE!?” Nekomaru roared in excitement.

Monomi smiled, still proud of her mighty achievement.  “Ahem!  That’s totally right!  Now that you all can go to more areas, let’s all get along and live a fun life together for sure this time!  Love! Love!”  The rabbit hugged herself, feeling very optimistic that things are going to be all right if they listened to her wish.

Hikari felt more at ease with this turn of events.  _There’s a new island to explore…there might be spirits there though I doubt it.  In any case, we can find out if there are any clues to escape this place.  Sorry Monomi but I’m not planning on staying here long, especially if I am unable to use my talent here._

Many of the girls voiced their intention to escape as well as their disapproval of living there, much to Monomi’s dismay.

“L-Living together on this island isn’t what’s important…W-We need to find a way to escape,” Mikan said quietly, wringing her hands.

“Geeez!  Of course!” Mahiru sighed loudly.  “Escaping from this island is our main goal!”

Monomi tilted her head in confusion.  “…Huh?”

Ibuki nodded, raising her index in the air, looking angry.  “Nobody wants to live a swashbuckling, Hollywood type, action film!”  Hikari stared blankly at the Musician, not sure where that came from.

The Nurse whimpered, tears forming.  “I want to live a life where I can be more average…a life where nothing happens…That’s better for me…”

Hikari nodded.  _I couldn’t agree more, Tsumiki._

“All right!” Kazuichi exclaimed, the Mechanic getting excited, fists clenched in the air.  “If you can find anything that can be salvaged for boat parts, let me know immediately!”

“Umm…” Monomi faltered, her ears drooping sadly.  “I-It seems that…everyone’s united on a path that’s different from what I had planned…”

Gundham grinned, lifting his hand to the air.  “Fuhahaha!  Now then, let us disperse!  The time has come to release the cursed seal!”

“All right!”  Akane shouted, cracking her knuckles.  “Let’s find a way to leave this island!”

“That is…impossible…” Monomi cried softly.

Hajime raised an eyebrow, his attention on the depressed rabbit.  “…Hm?”

“Leaving the island…is no longer possible…”

“…No longer possible?  Hey…what’s that...Ah!” Hajime jumped a little in surprise when Monomi left abruptly.

Hikari felt the blood drain from her face as she listened to Monomi’s words.  _Impossible to leave?  That can’t be true…We have to at least try!_   She felt reassured when everyone seemed to ignore what Monomi said.  Hikari stood up when her friends started leaving to explore the new area.  A few people started to branch off to do their own thing like Hiyoko and Mahiru going to the smaller girl’s cottage.  So, Hikari ended up walking with Akane, Kazuichi, Sonia, Gundham, Mikan, Chiaki, Ibuki, and Nekomaru to the bridge that connected the first island with the central island.  Hikari sweatdropped when Chiaki walked with her eyes closed.

“H-Hey…I hope I didn’t keep you up all night…” Hikari whispered to the sleepy Gamer.

Chiaki yawned and shook her head a little.  “Mmm…you didn’t…For some reason, I couldn’t sleep.”  She rubbed her eyes sleepily as Hikari decided to keep an eye on the tired girl to make sure she didn’t end up sleep walking like she did with Hajime just a couple of days ago.

 _Man, that felt like that happened years ago…_ the Spirit Medium thought nostalgically as the group reached the central island and headed to the bridge with the wooden arch labelled with the number two on the plaque above the bridge’s entrance.  The metal gate that blocked the teens’ access to the second island was lifted and the Monobeast that was guarding the path across the water was nowhere to be seen.

“Wh-Whoa!  That monster really is gone!” Kazuichi yelled in shock. 

Hikari was also very amazed that Monomi somehow defeated the huge Tiger Monobeast.  _I wonder how she did it…I definitely give her credit. I would have never been able to have done that._

“I wonder what’s on this island…” Sonia pondered as the group travelled across the bridge to their destination.

“H-Hopefully nothing s-scary…” Mikan stammered, feeling anxious at the thought.

“If we’re lucky, maybe there’ll be a harbor,” Kazuichi said optimistically, stars in his eyes, imagining getting his hands on anything electronic or mechanical to build a boat.

“We won’t know until we get there,” Hikari pointed out with a small smile.

When they reached the second island, they all stood on a small tract of dirt with its borders covered with white flowers.  A shorter, narrower bridge greeted them which led to the main second island.  The first structure they could see was a massive ruin of a building covered with thick green vines and trees.

Hikari blinked, tilting her head slightly to the right.  _I feel like I have seen this building before…I can’t put my finger on it…_

Ibuki jumped in excitement.  “Wahoooooo!  Let’s explore!”  She happily ran over the small bridge to investigate the new area.  Everyone soon followed the Musician.

“So…um…do we want to explore together or does everyone want to split up?”  Hikari asked, feeling a bit shy to take the initiative and grab everyone’s attention.

“Hmmm,” Sonia thought deeply, a hand on her chin.  “Perhaps we could split up and explore, meeting together around dinnertime to discuss our findings?  That way we would cover more ground in a short amount of time.”

Kazuichi gasped, smiling brightly.  “That’s a very good idea, Sonia-san!  As expected of our SHSL Princess!” 

Hikari sweatdropped.  _Really buttering up to her, aren’t you, Souda…_   So, everyone started to separate and go off on their own to inspect what grabbed their attention.  Hikari was the last to leave the group, her eyes closed.  _Hmm…still no spirits…_ the Spirit Medium thought with a frown.  She turned to her left and glanced briefly at the ruin.  “Maybe I can check it out with everyone later.”  The bespectacled girl moved on, walking eastward on the paved path. 

Not far off, Hikari came upon a diner with a useless and empty parking lot.  “A diner?  Here?”  The building appeared to be an old-fashioned American diner she had seen in magazines and books her older sister shared with her years ago.  Neon lights placed over the door and on the roof indicated that the building was indeed a diner.  Not too far way was a thick black pole that held a rotating sign that said “Pork Burger” and above it was a rotating image of a pig between a bun and lettuce.  “Well, let’s check out this place first then…”  Hikari walked to the diner’s entrance, glaring at the monitor and camera positioned blatantly to the right of the door.  She opened the door roughly, annoyed at Monokuma’s intention of seizing her and her friends’ privacy.  The interior was everything she expected of a diner: a counter, barstools, booths, and even a jukebox.  She also anticipated that there would be a camera and monitor in here too.  What she didn’t predict was someone already sitting down at a booth who looked a bit surprised at the interruption of his solitude.

“Oh…it’s only you…” the Yakuza muttered, glancing at who opened the door before scowling towards the intruder, a plate of crispy French fries in front of him on the table.  “I’m trying to eat right now!  Go away, you dumbass!”

Hikari could feel her face heat up in embarrassment, biting the edge of her lip, stepping a bit towards the door.  However, something inside her made her stop.  _Wait…why should I?  I have a right to be here…_   Instead of leaving like Fuyuhiko wanted, Hikari walked to the booth he was sitting at and slid in, sitting across from him.

Fuyuhiko scowled at her.  “What the fuck are you doing?  I told you to get lost!”

Hikari looked at him sternly, feeling adrenaline running through her body as she stood her ground.  “You can’t tell me what to do, Kuzuryuu.”  She was actually astonished that her voice didn’t crack or show any sign of nervousness.

The blond sneered at her, eating a fry.  “I can always kill you here and now.”

“Somehow…I doubt that…”

Hikari jumped slightly as Fuyuhiko slammed a fist onto the table before taking a steak knife from the table, the blade pointed towards the Spirit Medium.  “Don’t tempt me…” he hissed darkly.  The two sat there quietly, just staring at each other waiting to see who would back down first.

 _I cannot give in first.  I have to show him that I am not afraid of him.  He might be acting like this because he doesn’t want anyone close to him since he is a yakuza._   Hikari clenched her fists underneath the table, steeling herself to hold this stare off for as long as it takes.  She wasn’t even sure why she was even interacting with Fuyuhiko to begin with.  Maybe because he reminded her of the bullies from her past and she finally wanted to stand up against that behavior.  Perhaps it might be that she sensed that he was really lonely and wanted friends even though he thought he didn’t deserve them.  Whatever the case, Hikari was staying there, sitting across from the boy who was currently threatening to take her life.

Fuyuhiko gritted his teeth, his golden eyes watching the girl intently, his grip on the knife handle tightening.  _What the fuck is up with this bitch?  She’s really beginning to get under my skin…_   He closed his eyes and sighed in irritation, placing the knife back down.  “Whatever…you’re not worth it…” he muttered as he decided to just ignore her and look out the window.  Hikari didn’t move, her face unreadable even though she was utterly petrified when he brandished the steak knife at her.

 _Whew…part of me thought I was going to die…But I had a feeling he wasn’t going to do it…_   Her eyes eventually landed on the plate of fries, her mouth beginning to water.  _They look really good…maybe I can sneak one…_   She glanced between the absentminded boy and the plate before slowly moving her hand to the appetizing side dish, silently taking a lone fry and quickly popped it into her mouth.  Hikari closed her eyes and smiled in bliss as she chewed.

Eyes still focusing outside and deep in his thoughts, Fuyuhiko went to continue to eat before the fries got cold.  He blinked when his hand touched a smooth texture and turned his head to see Hikari caught red-handed, her hand underneath his.  Both teens’ faces turned scarlet, yet for different reasons.  Hikari felt very embarrassed that she got caught, knowing that she was pushing her luck, but couldn’t help herself as she fell victim to the deliciousness of the French fries.  The Yakuza did feel slightly embarrassed for touching a girl’s hand, however, that quickly dissipated when he realized the situation, the redness in his face becoming the result of anger.  He abruptly stood up, feeling the rage itching to be released.  Hikari scrambled out of the booth, stumbling to the door.  “Sorry!  Sorry!”

Fuyuhiko stood there, fuming, breathing heavily through his nose as he stared at the plate in front of him and saw there was only a couple of fries left.  He closed his eyes as he felt a vein throb above an eyebrow.  _That bitch…she really had the guts to take MY food like Natsumi did…_   He frowned, feeling a small pang of homesickness at the thought of his little sister.  Shaking his head, the Yakuza went behind the counter to make himself a hamburger.  _I swear the next person who comes in and disturbs me will get his fucking head ripped off…_

Reaching the safety of the outdoors, Hikari leaned forward, hands on her knees as she was catching her breath.  “Very smart, Hikari…” she scolded herself as she wiped the sweat from her forehead before continuing to look for anything that could help the group escape the island.

Nothing of importance caught her attention as she searched throughout the whole area.  She came upon a beach house and a pristine private beach, a pharmacy where Mikan was basking in all of medical supplies, and a library before making it back to the overgrown ruin.  _Maybe on my own time I can look through the library’s books to see if there might be any clues…_ Hikari thought as she walked to the ruin’s entrance.  She blinked, seeing Chiaki staring at the ruin intently.  “Nanami?”

Chiaki blinked and turned to the Spirit Medium.  “Ah…good.  That way I won’t have to track you down.  Stay here while I get everyone else.”  Hikari stood there surprised as the Gamer walked off in a determined manner.

“Uh…Okay?”  Hikari tilted her head and gazed at the weathered building.  _She must’ve found a clue or something…_   She took this time to inspect the structure as her friends started arriving.  Hikari couldn't really tell how tall it was, but it was very huge.  She was amazed that no one spotted the silhouette from the other islands.  _Trying to see the top at this angle would really strain your neck muscles…_ she thought with a wince, a hand to her neck as she tried to relieve the muscle tension.  _I swear I’ve seen this place before…_ Hikari thought again, eyebrows furrowed.  _If there wasn’t as much overgrowth then maybe I could figure out what this place could have been_ …  Not much time had passed when the last of the teens arrived, excluding Nagito.

Nekomaru stared at the building, hands on his hips.  “What the heck is this…?  Such a gigantic building.”

“However, it is clearly faded…it looks like an ancient ruin,” Sonia remarked.

“It seems…Perhaps this is an actual ancient ruin?” Peko asked, arms crossed.

“H-How should I say this…” Mahiru contemplated out loud before saying what’s on her mind.  “Don’t you think this building…resembles a school?”

“A school?” Hikari wondered.

Kazuichi itched his cheek nervously, changing the subject.  “…You found something, right Nanami?  What did you find?”

“I’ll fucking cut you if this is a waste of time,” Fuyuhiko cautioned bitterly.  Hikari sweatdropped.

_Is he still mad from earlier?  Man, can he hold a grudge…_

Mahiru rolled her eyes.  “I…didn’t know **you** were also here.”

Fuyuhiko scoffed, crossing his arms.  “That bitch over there kept bugging me…so I finally came.”

Ibuki smiled excitedly, bouncing around Chiaki.  “Did you maybe find a way to get off this island?”

Chiaki followed Ibuki with her eyes quietly before tilting her head.  “Nope.  Nothing like that.”

Hikari smiled a little, eyes closed.  _That’s Nanami for you…very blunt._

“Then…what in the world did you find?” Gundham questioned, arms crossed.

Hajime looked deep in thought.  “If it’s not a way off the island…Does it have something to do with this island’s secret?”

Chiaki pulled her hood over her head, staring at the ground.  “Hmm, about that…I don’t know.”

Hikari blinked.  “What do you mean?”

“…It’s like it doesn’t belong with a building like this…I keep thinking about it and it feels unnatural.”  Chiaki lifted her head and stared at the structure which caused her hood to fall back.  “It’s like…a comic book originally about baseball becoming a side-scrolling action game…  It’s unnatural like that.  Look, that door over there,” Chiaki said, pointing to the ruin’s entrance.  Everyone’s eyes followed the direction her finger was pointing, the teens subconsciously walking closer to the entrance.  There was a certain feel to the door in Hikari’s mind.

 “It’s hard to make out from all the dust but…this is the door you mean, right?” Hajime asked the Gamer.

“Yeah,” Chiaki replied.  “It looks like that’s the door to the ruin.”

“Hey, so what’s wrong with the door?  Can you go inside?” Mahiru queried, looking curious.

“Before we attempt to go inside…Let’s try brushing off some of this dust and clearing some of these root things off the door.  If you do…I’m pretty sure you’ll understand what I mean by ‘unnatural.’”  Kazuichi and Hajime went close to the door and started to clear the door from the dust and natural debris to reveal the real appearance of the entrance.

 _It seems…advanced…_ Hikari thought as she studied every inch of the circular door.  _Especially with a Gatling gun right next to an electronic touchpad…_   She eyed the security system nervously.

Hajime seemed to have similar thoughts.  “What is this…door…?  It doesn’t feel like it belongs in an ancient ruin…”

“What’s going on?” Mahiru asked, rattled.  “It’s like…a door from a sci-fi movie, don’t you think?  It definitely doesn’t fit with an ancient ruin…”

“And…what is this symbol on the door?” Hajime continued, leaning forward to take a closer look at the door’s surface.

“Oh?” Nekomaru hummed, scratching his chin, glancing at the symbol himself.  “It looks like it’s Japanese…”

“Ah, you’re totally right!” Ibuki agreed cheerfully.

“U-um…I’m sorry if it’s just my misunderstanding…” Mikan whispered fretfully, “To me, it looks like…it says ‘mirai’…or ‘future’…”

Fuyuhiko glowered, his small amount of patience already running low.  “Hey bastards, who cares about a symbol on the door!?  More importantly…how do you open it?  What’s inside?”

Hikari directed the group to look at the display screen she noticed on the door.  “It looks like some kind of liquid crystal display next to the door…”

Fuyuhiko blinked, actually showing surprise.  “Oh, right!  That must be the key to open the door!  It’s probably set to open when you type the password!”

Hiyoko grinned at the Yakuza cheekily.  “Acting all high and mighty…So what’s next?  It’s obviously impossible to put in the password without any hints.  Ah, are you saying that a normal person can’t open it but a yakuza can?  That’s hilarious!”  Fuyuhiko glared at the smallest teen of the group, not appreciating her comments.

Hikari refrained from doing a facepalm.  _She really likes to antagonize people, doesn’t she…One of these days she’s going to regret being so confrontational._

“Ah, I think we should wait,” Chiaki suggested.  “Doesn’t that seem dangerous?”  She indicated towards the Gatling gun.  “That thing next to the panel, doesn’t it look like a gun?  …In fact, that’s totally a gun.”

“G-Gun…” Hajime murmured, turning to face the weapon.  “Huh!?  That’s a gun!?”

“If it is…it’s probably very dangerous.  It’s possible you might get shot if you mess up the password…Right?”

“I wouldn’t say ‘probably’…more like ‘definitely,’” Hikari mentioned, sweatdropping.

Fuyuhiko clenched a fist, aggravated.  “Dammit…!  I-It can’t be helped…Looks like…it’s better if we don’t mess with it…for now…”

Hiyoko covered her mouth, giggling.  “Kehehe…He’s totally freaked out…”

The blond male seethed glowering at Hiyoko.  “Shut the hell up!  You do it then!”

“But still…” the pink-eyed girl thought out loud, ignoring the banter between the two blond haired teens, “a building that looks like an ancient ruin, with a door that looks like it’s from a sci-fi film…It’s definitely unnatural.  This is probably an important place.”

Kazuichi blinked.  “Important place, huh…The problem is, how is it important?”

“Um…” a meek and familiar voice chirped followed by another unforgettable and familiar voice.  An awkward silence loomed over the area as the humans stared at the stuffed animals, anticipating the two to say more.

Peko crossed her arms.  “…You’re both quiet?”  Akane stretched out her arms, preparing for a fight as expected.

“You guys know about this buildin’ too, right!?  Just be honest with us!”

“I-I’m s-sorry…!” Monomi squeaked, looking very nervous, her ears drooping and looking away.  “I have no…I have no idea at all…”  Monokuma was also standoffish.

“Meh…I…don’t know either…” he mumbled, turning his back towards the group.

“Um…for now…everyone should focus on gathering the Hope Fragments…” Monomi advised weakly, her paws fidgeting against each other and ears still drooped forward a bit.

Hikari raised an eyebrow.  “Huh…Still?”  _Is that still our objective even though Monokuma took over?  I mean…I did gain a couple this morning…one when I was with Nanami this morning and one when I was in the diner with Kuzuryuu…they ended up in my pocket out of nowhere…_   She placed her hand in her pocket, feeling her electronic handbook with the Usami keychain attached as well as the Hope Fragments she got today, ignoring the banter between Hiyoko and Mikan.

Nekomaru frowned.  “Is it possible that…there is a connection between this door and the reason this island is uninhabited?  For example, this place might be a shelter, and there might be native inside.”

Mahiru smiled nervously.  “Is something happening that would make them hide in a shelter?  If so…we’re all screwed.”

Hajime glanced to the Spirit Medium, stepping a bit closer to her and bent his head down slightly to be able to whisper his thoughts.  “Seishin…is there any chance you regained your talent?  Was there any spirits around the island or around here in particular?”  Hikari blushed deeply when she heard Hajime’s voice so close to her, almost jumping five feet in the air like a spooked cat.

“U-um…no…I don’t think it’s back…” Hikari whispered sadly, her eyes looking down at the ground, feeling the familiar weight of uselessness in her chest.  “I didn’t sense any spirits anywhere here…if this is a shelter due to something horrible happening, I should have been able to sense those who didn’t make it to the shelter or even the spirits’ auras inside the building if people were in there for a substantial amount of time…”

The boy looked a bit confused.  “Why’s that…?”

Hikari looked at Hajime seriously.  “Two things…One, spirits who wander the earth tend to stay around certain places or people whether they’re close friends, enemies, or family.  If people are inside, I could sense the spirits’ presences inside, yet faintly.  Two, if people did use this place as a shelter a very long time ago, there is a possibility that supplies have ran out and the survivors could be dead.  I would sense their spirits if that was the case…”  Hikari frowned, looking away from Hajime.  “However…since I can’t use my talent, we wouldn’t know right now…” 

Hajime frowned and nodded silently.  _That’s right…I’m not the only one whose talent is lost…That was pretty insensitive of me to ask about all that…_   His thoughts were soon interrupted by an annoying high-pitched laugh.

Monokuma stared at them with paws covering his mouth, laughing arrogantly.  “Hmmm, several possibilities have crossed my mind.  But it looks like there’s no way to confirm it yet.  That door is really sturdy.  But…not in a material sense.  More essential than that.”

Akane placed a hand on her hip, clueless.  “…Huh?  What’re you sayin’?”

“For instance…even though Monomi and I can come and go as we please, we can’t enter what’s beyond that door.”

Monomi jumped in absolute shock, paws raised in the air.  “Hwaha!?  You can’t go inside, too?  Does that mean you’re the same as me and--”

“Heeeey!  Keep your tongue in your mouth!”  Monokuma warned, a blue blast erupting from his paw towards Monomi.  The blast sent Monomi flying for miles.  Hikari thought she heard Monomi’s pained and faraway voice in the air as the rabbit flew back.

“KYAAA!  My body can’t handle a supersonic meteor rush like that!”

Once he saw that Monomi was gone, Monokuma turned to the teens bashfully, rubbing the back of his head.  “There…Now that I’ve shut up my sister with a fantastic Pegasus Meteor Fist…This is the mystery of Jabberwock Island.  A mystery that even Monomi and I can’t solve.”  He leaned back and laughed loudly, his paws on his tummy.  Hikari could’ve swore that his red lightning-shaped eye glowed eerily.  “That’s why I have high expectations for you guys!  One day, you’ll be able to solve that mystery!”

Hikari fingered her necklace, biting the inside of her cheek.  _That’s making me not want to figure it out…_

Fuyuhiko grinned, feeling confident.  “Heh, that seems easy enough…All we gotta do is remember what that black and white tanuki said before.”

Hikari closed her eyes, trying to think about what Fuyuhiko meant.  _Maybe…he’s thinking about that time…?_

_“Hey, why are there seventeen of you?  If a total of sixteen students from Hope’s Peak Academy were arranged to come to this island…That’s right!  There’s probably a traitor I don’t even know about hiding among the group...Just kidding!”_

Hikari’s eyes shot open, remembering that conversation now, gripping her necklace tightly.  _I…I tried to block that out…what if I’m the traitor without knowing it…?  What if subconsciously I wasn’t sleepwalking last night and I was trying to…_ A gentle pat on the back brought the Spirit Medium back to reality.  She turned to her right to see Chiaki staring at her with a strong look that made Hikari relax slightly.

“If there’s a ‘traitor,’ they probably know how to open the door, right?  And there’s probably boats or a way to contact the outside world beyond that door,” Fuyuhiko theorized.

Mahiru gasped in surprise.  “Or…maybe whoever’s controlling Monokuma and Monomi is hiding there!”

“B-but…,” Mikan stuttered, smiling weakly, “do you really think there’s a traitor among us?”

“No shit!  Of course there is!” Fuyuhiko shouted with conviction.  “Who the hell is it!?  Hurry up and confess!”

“Th-There isn’t…There’s no traitor…anywhere!” a feeble voice piped in, a battered Monomi army-crawling to the group.

Hajime sweatdropped.  _She came back quickly…_

The Yakuza faced the two-toned bear.  “Monokuma…what about you?  You’re the one who mentioned it…”  However, Monokuma only giggled to himself, paws covering his mouth mischievously.

“Puhuhuhuhuhu….”

Gundham frowned, feeling unnerved.  “…What’s so funny?”

“Oh, just…Have you guys heard of an organization called World Ender?”

“…World Ender?” Hajime questioned, confused.

Fuyuhiko glared darkly towards the bear.  “I-I’m the one asking you a question!  Don’t just change the subject!”  Monokuma kept his impish attitude, his eyes looking as if they had a sparkle to them.

“I understand why you’d want to just ignore it…World Ender is such an embarrassing name.  So embarrassing that only middle school students…no, wait, elementary school students would come up with it.”  The bear laughed manically.  “But the name is unavoidable because that organization actually exists!”

Peko’s eyes narrowed.  “So what is this…organization?”

“Puhu…It’s literally what it says…”  Monokuma raised his black paw up, a sinister aura appearing around him.  “Those guys ended the world!”

Mikan shrieked in horror.  “E-Ended the world!?”

“Um…That’s not an overstatement or a metaphor, you know.  Those guys really did end the world.  So don’t you think it’s appropriate to call them World Ender?”

“You mean…they’re a terrorist organization…?” Peko asked hesitantly.

“Terrorist, huh…That might be accurate.  But only losers are terrorists.  If they manage to win, they become ‘heroes.’  In that sense…they’re more like heroes.  They’re the heroes who ended the world!”

Hikari felt her heart pound against her ribcage.  _I don’t get it…the world ended?  And by heroes…?  I really don’t get this at all…_   She felt like her brain was about to short-circuit from trying to process all this bewildering information.

“The only thing I can tell you is…” Hikari heard Monokuma begin to say, “The organization that the traitor is working for, the ones who brought you to this island…World Ender is behind it all!”  Monokuma laughed hysterically again.

Peko, seeing some of her peers become petrified, stood her ground.  “Don’t panic…It’s another made up story to trick us, like when he said we lost our school memories.  I can’t suspend my disbelief for something as ridiculous as ‘World Ender’…There’s no way that organization…or the traitor exists!”  Fortunately, her speech reassured her friends.

The Breeder smirked, arms crossed.  “Monokuma…I shall listen to you spout nonsense all you want, while I puff cigar smoke at your lifeless body.”  At this, Monokuma looked to the ground, disheartened.

“My, my…I was kind enough to keep you guys informed.  Are you calling me a liar!?”  He looked at the teens menacingly, showing his claws.  “Gnnnngh…if you keep acting like that, I’ll do ‘this’ and ‘that’ to your various body parts…!”  He jumped up and down, arms flapping.  “Anyway, I’m telling the truth!  The World Ender organization is the final boss of this island!  Plus, one of their members is hiding among you guys!  That’s why…you guys gotta find that traitor and kill them dead!”

“H-Hey!  You better stop…” Monomi warned him, seeming to have recovered from his last attack.

“Shut up, Monomi!” Monokuma demanded forebodingly.  “Big brother-defying trash like you needs to be punished!”  He stomped over to the rabbit and roughly grabbed her ears and began dragging her away.

“Noooo!  Don’t pull my ears!  They’re gonna come…come off!”

Everyone stood there, not sure what to think.  “What was that…just now…?” Hajime asked, dazed.

Kazuichi fixed his beanie more securely on his head.  “Is there…anybody who understood what he was talking about…?”

“Um…Not a clue…” Sonia replied, hands clasped together.

Chiaki yawned loudly beside Hikari, a little bit of drool forming.  She looked at her friends obliviously, hands on the straps of her pink kitty backpack.  “For now…since the sun is setting, we should just go home for the day.  I think…it’s a waste of time for us to keep thinking about this.”

Hajime smiled weakly at the Gamer.  “Y-You’re probably right…” 

Hikari nodded.  “Sounds like a good idea…”  She did feel very tired all of a sudden.  With that, everyone left to go back to their cottages.  When Hikari made it back to her cottage, she was worried that there was going to be a repeat of what happened last night.  Those thoughts and thoughts that she might be the traitor carried on while she got ready for bed.  Once she laid down and rested her head on her pillow, Hikari felt her eyelids heavy with sleep and allowed herself to fall into a deep slumber despite her persistent anxieties.

Days Left: 18

Survivors: 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys can follow the changes of perspective throughout this chapter. Most of it is from Hikari's POV but I did use Chiaki's for a few pages for this chapter. Please let me know if there was any confusion.


	11. Beaches, Books, and Burgers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Free Time Events Chapter! The calm before the storm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the Danganronpa series. I only own Hikari Seishin and her family. I also do not own any video games I mention in this fanfic.
> 
> Note: I try to make the story as canon as I can with obvious creative liberties. Please let me know if any of the original cast is OOC and I will do my best to fix it.

To Hikari’s delight, she woke up in her own bed, the sun’s rays peeking through her white curtains.  She slowly sat up and yawned loudly before forcing herself out of bed to get ready for the day.  She sauntered over to the bathroom, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as the morning bell rang.

*Ding dong, bing bong*

_I actually beat the morning announcement today_ , Hikari thought, a bit impressed as she got into the shower, deliberately ignoring the morning announcement since it’s been the same message every morning since Monokuma seized control from Monomi.  _I wonder what I should do today…I did say that I wanted to look for some potted plants to brighten up my room…I could also check out the library and see if there are any books that might help us…_

After getting dressed in her usual outfit, the bespectacled girl fixed her hair into two low, thin pigtails.  She placed a simple silver hair clip on the left side so stray strands of hair wouldn’t fall over her eyes.  Then, she slipped on her black shoes and walked out of her cottage, heading to the hotel.

When opening the door into the hotel lobby, Hikari wasn’t surprised to see Chiaki at her favorite spot on the island, in front of the arcade game.  The Spirit Medium smiled and strolled over to her friend and sat down next to the Gamer quietly.  Chiaki didn’t acknowledge Hikari’s presence, but Hikari didn’t mind; she liked being quiet during mornings since it takes a while for her to fully wake up.  Hikari was never really a morning person.  Once the gaming session ended, Hikari decided to speak up.  “Did you beat your current record, Nanami?”

Chiaki blinked and nodded.  “I did by 22,300 points.  However, I made a couple of mistakes that run.  I can always do better.”  The laid-back girl turned to Hikari.  “You want to try?”  Hikari contemplated for a minute before shrugging.

“Oh, why not…”

Chiaki used a good five minutes explaining the game’s controls to her friend and helped guide Hikari through the first couple of stages of the game.  It didn’t take much time for Hikari to get a game over.  Regardless, Hikari seemed to be having fun.  Hikari moved to the left so that Chiaki could have another turn, the Spirit Medium waving slightly as Peko walked in who nodded in return.  Mahiru walked down the stairs, a hand on the railing.  “Nanami, everyone’s almost here for breakfast.  Oh, good morning, Pekoyama…Seishin.”  Mahiru smiled warmly at the two girls.  “Breakfast is all set, girls.”

“Thank you, Koizumi.  Nanami and I will be right up after she finishes this session,” Hikari said happily.

Peko was about to respond as well, but turned towards the entrance when she heard the door open, almost showing a sign of surprise before that rapidly faded when the Swordswoman saw who it was.  _I was hoping it was the Young Master…_ Peko thought, her hopes dashed as Hajime came into the lobby and walked towards the girls by the arcade machine.

Hajime smiled, standing on the right side of Chiaki.  “Hi Nanami.  Hi Seishin,” he greeted the two girls politely.  “You always seem to be together whenever I see you two.”  Hikari blushed lightly, not really knowing what to say to that.  Chiaki just focused on her game, her fingers deftly pressing buttons on the machine.  Hajime sweatdropped slightly when he saw that Chiaki was in full concentration mode.  Nevertheless, he received a greeting from the Gamer.

“Ah, good morning.”

Hajime smiled weakly, placing a hand on his hip.  “You’re…playing video games **again** this morning?”  Hikari glanced at the two silently, somehow feeling like a third wheel or like an outsider looking in.

_They seem like they’re getting along.  I wonder if I can get close to Hinata too…_

Mahiru walked over to the small group, blinking.  “It’s like whenever you find the time, you always come here, don’t you Nanami?”

“…You think so?” Chiaki asked as she continued playing, eyes never leaving the screen.  Mahiru sweatdropped, placing a hand on the Gamer’s shoulder.

“Hey…I know you like video games, but if you don’t get out in the sun more, you’ll get sick.  And you know, it’s important to get to know the others better too!”

“Mmmm…” Chiaki hummed with a slight frown, her fingers stopped moving when the Game Over screen came up.  The redhead smiled brightly, getting an idea.

“Hey, hey!  Let’s play games outside!  I’m sure they have stuff like jump rope and bamboo-copter at the supermarket.”

Hikari beamed.  “Oh, I’ll come too.  I have been wanting to go to the supermarket to get a couple of potted plants for my room.”  She smiled sheepishly, a hand rubbing the back of her head.  “My room feels a bit barren…”  Chiaki tilted her head, confused.

“Jump rope?  Bamboo-copter?  Are those games too?  I don’t get it.”  The three teens around her sweatdropped.

_She doesn’t know what jump rope is?_ Hikari thought, very surprised that Chiaki didn’t know much about outdoor games.  _Was she that sheltered?_

Mahiru clapped her hands once.  “Then you can play with us after breakfast.  Good deeds should be done quickly, as they say.”

“Are you saying…I have to join you, too?” Hajime asked, pointing to himself.  Mahiru’s attitude quickly soured, placing her hands on her hips, staring Hajime down.

“Geeez!  What’s with that tone!?  If you don’t wanna come, you don’t have to!”  Hajime put up his hands defensively, smiling feebly.

Chiaki blinked, briefly ignoring everything around her.  “Jump rope?  Bamboo-copter?  The world is still overflowing with strange things,” she mumbled to herself quietly.  Hikari raised an eyebrow, overhearing Chiaki.  The Spirit Medium turned and blinked, seeing Peko had left already. 

Hikari faced the others.  “Should we head upstairs?  I don’t want the food to be cold by the time we eat.”  With that, the four of them headed up the stairs to the hotel restaurant.

When they reached the top of the stairs, Kazuichi moved to face the lone boy of the approaching group.  “Hey, you came at the right time.  What do you think, Hinata?”

Hajime stared at the Mechanic wearily.  “What do I think…about what?”

“Argh!” the pink-haired teen groaned, frustrated.  “Isn’t it obvious?  That stuff he said about a traitor and World Ender!”  Hikari frowned, not too happy since she thought she finally blocked those thoughts out of her mind.  “I’m asking if you know anything about it!”

Hajime’s mouth tilted.  “After one night’s sleep…there’s no way I’d suddenly find out anything.”

“Well, that’s obvious…The same goes for me, too,” Mahiru said, sounding deflated. 

Hikari nodded in agreement with the other two.  “Ditto.”

Peko closed her eyes.  “I didn’t get enough sleep last night because of that baffling nonsense.”

“B-But…I wonder if it’s really true…” Mikan said softly, her hands trembling.  “That there’s a traitor among us…”

Nekomaru crossed his arms, looking unfazed.  “No need to worry!  You don’t have to worry about the traitor at all!”

Hikari looked at the Team Manager suspiciously.  “Why’s that…?”

“You don’t have to worry about the traitor!” the burly teen yelled, repeating himself.

Hiyoko blinked, a finger to her cheek.  “What do you mean?  You’re being awfully certain about it.”

Nekomaru nodded, looking at the group intensely.  “Of course!  In fact, that so-called traitor is tied up at the moment and can’t move at all!”  Everyone stared at Nekomaru, trying to process what he just said.

“…Huh?” Hikari asked blankly.

“Tied up…you say…” Sonia murmured, looking concerned.  “Um…could you be…referring to Komaeda, whom we have not seen since yesterday?”  Hikari sweatdropped.

_Oh yeah…I kind of forgot about him what with the second island being open to us and with my own worries…_

“Who else can it be!?” Nekomaru yelled.  “Komaeda’s the traaaaitor!!!”

“Wh-What about that other part?” Hajime questioned.  “Where you said he was tied up and can’t move…”  The muscled boy blinked for a minute before he comprehended what that meant.  He suddenly started to freak out.

“AW CRAAAAAAAAAAAPPPPP!!”  The panicked teen quickly went to the Mechanic.  “H-Hey, Souda!  What should we do!?”  Kazuichi jumped, started to fidget nervously.

“Dumbass!  Don’t rope me into this!  They’ll find out that we worked together to…”  Hikari and Mahiru crossed their arms, leering at him as if they can see right through him.  “…Aw crap!” he swore, realizing he slipped up too.

Hiyoko giggled, smirking at the two boys.  “Heehee…You guys are both idiots!”

Mahiru glowered at them.  “You…what does this mean?”

Kazuichi felt sweat forming his brow, trying to think up an explanation.  “W-Well…you know…”  He started to get upset, clenching a fist, tears in his eyes.  “There’s no way we can let him run around free!  I mean, he tried to put us all in danger, you know!”

Hikari frowned, “That’s true…”

“Hanamura committed a murder because that guy tempted him, right…?” Nekomaru asked sadly, looking crestfallen.  “So that makes him a killer too!  It’s necessary to deal with him in an appropriate way.”

“So that’s why you left him tied up…” Peko clarified slowly.  “However…that cannot be helped.  He is quite dangerous.”

Gundham crossed his arms.  “Hmph, every fiber of my being agrees with you.  That’s right, there is no existence more troublesome than that of an incomprehensible human…What they like and what they hate…What makes them happy, what makes them angry…It’s normal for all beings to have standards rooted in experience so they can predict their opponent’s actions.  But at times…those standards do not work on certain opponents.  Those are the most fearsome opponents of all.  Establishing a relationship with such a human…is impossible.”

Hikari sighed to herself.  _You don’t have to tell me that twice…He would’ve killed me if he had the chance._

Mahiru placed her hands on her hips, looking at Nekomaru and Kazuichi scornfully.  “Anyway, where did you two tie up Komaeda?”

Kazuichi scratched his head, looking resigned.  “Th-The dining hall…in the o-old hotel building…”

Hikari blinked, stunned.  “There!?”

Hajime gaped.  “That’s…where Togami got killed…!”

“He needs to reflect on what he did at that place…” Nekomaru reasoned.

Hiyoko was very entertained by this.  She closed her eyes, sticking her tongue out as she bonked her head playfully.  “So you’re saying it’s better to kill off a troublesome ally before they turn into an enemy.”

Mikan shrieked, turning pale.  “Gaaah!  You killed him!?”

Kazuichi waved his hands in defense.  “Argh!  He’s obviously alive!  I only knocked him out so we could tie him up!”

“Then what shall we do with Komaeda at this point?” the stoic Swordswoman asked, crossing her arms.  “Let’s hear everyone’s opinion.”

Mahiru frowned slightly, a finger to her chin.  “Hmm…it’s not safe to let him walk freely.  There’s no telling what he’ll end up doing next…”

“He’s also the most likely person to be the traitor,” Hiyoko pointed out with a giggle.

Akane looked at her friends, her mouth filled with food.  “So isn’t it okay if we just keep him tied up for a while?”

Sonia looked down in thought, her hand to her chin.  “If so…It seems it would be better to watch him for a while.”

“But it would be bad if we don’t let him eat or drink,” Hajime mentioned, his arms crossed.  “He might end up dying for real…”

Kazuichi sighed with a hint of exasperation.  “I-I know that already…”

“Jeez…” Mahiru groaned, looking irritated herself.  “I didn’t expect you two would do something like that…”

“I wish you’d treat it more like an accomplishment.”

“Teehee…” the Traditional Dancer laughed, “and I thought that tiny boy was up to something again…”

Hikari stared at her blankly.  “You’re the smallest one here…”

Hiyoko glared hotly and pointed at her.  “That’s because I haven’t stopped growing yet!  Just watch!  I’ll be taller than you and him both!”  Hikari sweatdropped slightly.

_Even though she likes to bring people down, she can never tolerate anything thrown back at her without getting so riled up…_

“Who are you calling ‘tiny boy’?” the blond hair boy spoke up, arms crossed, looking unfazed by Hiyoko’s words.  “Plus, I haven’t stopped growin’ either and I know that I’ll be so much taller than a shorty like you.”

Hiyoko jumped in surprise.  “Wah!  You’re here!?”

“It figures…” the Yakuza sighed resignedly.  “You guys are messed up.  Is that what you do?  If you don’t like your ‘buddy,’ you corner them…Tch, look at you sheep acting all righteous.”  Hikari frowned, guilt starting to form.

_I never really looked at it that way…I was just thinking about everyone’s safety.  If you look at the situation from an outsider’s perspective it may seem that we’re acting a bit extreme…_

Of course, Kazuichi defended his actions and the two boys went at it until Peko stepped in between them.

“…Enough.  Knock it off, you two,” the braided girl ordered, staring at them, her eyes lingering on Fuyuhiko.  He glared and was ready to knock Kazuichi out until he gazed at Peko, slowly calming down.

“Y-You bastards…I’ll make sure you regret that later…!” the Yakuza warned.  He put his hands in his pockets and stormed out of the restaurant.

The Mechanic gritted his teeth, watching him leave.  “Wh-What the heck…He’s just a whiny loser!”

“Souda…” Sonia said softly, the Princess wearing a weary expression, “let us just stop this already.”

Mahiru sighed again.  “Jeez…all this fighting…I can tell it’s not going to be easy in the future…”

“The future…huh…I wonder if we even have a future…” Mikan murmured dejectedly, the Nurse on the verge on tears.

“Hey, don’t start mumbling like that!  If you’ll do, I’ll get depressed too!”

“I-I’m sorry!  I didn’t mean to!”  With that said, everyone started to settle down and start eating before they ventured off on their own.

Hikari sat down to eat breakfast at a table with Gundham, Sonia, and Kazuichi.  Hikari smiled as she ate her meal with them, being entertained by Gundham’s hamsters, the four hamsters having the freedom to roam all over the Breeder’s body and the table.  Jum-P slept on Gundham’s shoulder as the other three enjoyed a meal of sunflower seeds that were laid next to Gundham’s plate of food.  Hikari giggled at how bright-eyed Sonia was at watching the little animals eat and interact with their owner, Kazuichi looking more jealous by the minute, muttering obscenities under his breath, glaring at the proud-looking Gundham.

After breakfast was finished, Hikari walked over to Rocketpunch Market with Sonia.  Sonia smiled excitedly.  “I am so eager to play these ‘outdoor games’ with our friends!  I have never tried this ‘vol-lay ball’ Mioda has recommended.  I am, how you say, so pumped up!”  Hikari had to use all of her willpower to contain the giddiness of witnessing the royal foreigner’s cuteness, beaming brightly.

“I can’t wait either.  Good thing the market isn’t that far.”

When the two girls walked through the doors, they were greeted with a few of their friends gathering outdoor activities.  Chiaki stood by Mahiru reluctantly, the Gamer playing on a handheld; reluctantly because Mahiru was basically dragging the hooded girl around the market, picking up a few jump ropes of different lengths.  Hiyoko and Ibuki were also there, grabbing things to play with outdoors like a beach ball, chalk, and a bubble maker.  The Spirit Medium and the Princess went over to the outdoor section as well to help carry the items.

“It’s pretty great that we don’t have to pay to use these things,” Mahiru said gratefully.  “We can always return them when we’re done.”

“I wish it was like this everywhere, not just on the island,” Hikari said longingly as she offered to carry the jump ropes from Mahiru.

Once the girls went outside, they decided to stay in the area since they can use the pavement for the chalk.  Hikari knew how to play these games, but she mainly played with her sister.  The Spirit Medium felt the rare feeling of contentment as she was surrounded by her new friends, even getting along with Hiyoko.  The girls played hopscotch and tried playing with the jump ropes double dutch style though Hikari and Chiaki were berated by the Traditional Dancer for when the kimono-clad girl couldn’t jump in time with the ropes.  Sonia held up the recently inflated beach ball courtesy of Mahiru when the jump ropers decided to take a break from the slightly frustrating activity.

“Let us play the ‘vol-lay ball,’” the regal young woman requested with glee.

“But don’t we need a net?” Hikari asked.

“We could play on the beach,” Mahiru suggested.

“But don’t we need to bring the net with us?” Hiyoko complained, pouting.  “I don’t want to carry stuff back and forth right now.”

Sonia let go of the ball and clapped her hands, getting excited.  “Oh!  How about we play these games on the beach with a net on a different day!  It can be another girls’ day of fun!”  Everyone automatically agreed to Sonia’s plan.  They finally felt like they could get through this killing game if they just kept the morale up and kept searching for a way off the island.  For now, the girls still had some time before the sun would set.

“How about we just hit the ball between us and see how long we can keep it in the air?” Hikari proposed thoughtfully.

Chiaki nodded, her hands on the straps of her kitty backpack.  “That seems possible.”

“It’ll be good practice when we play for realz on the beach!” Ibuki said, hands on her hips proudly.  During the next hour or so, the female teenagers present ran around the supermarket determined to keep the ball in the air.  Akane and even Peko ended up joining in as they passed by the store and walked up to them to see what they were up to.  As the sun slowly started to set, the game was becoming very competitive, Akane using her agility to prevent the huge colorful ball from reaching the ground, making a few close calls.

_Who knew trying to keep a beach ball in the air could be so entertaining and a bit exhausting?_ Hikari thought as she wiped the sweat from her forehead after she pushed the ball further up into the air as it came close to her.  _I’m actually having fun here…with these people I called strangers a few days ago…_   The ebony-haired girl smiled and sweatdropped as the Gymnast smacked the ball mid-air, facing the gradually orange sky and landing in the group of plants underneath the tall sign that read “Coffee.”  The ball soared in the air and landed on the roof of Rocketpunch Market.  Hiyoko, Mahiru, Peko, Hikari, and Chiaki stared blankly at the roof as Ibuki laughed loudly, holding her stomach.  Hiyoko closed her eyes and sighed noisily while Mahiru shrugged with a tired smile, hands in the air.

^o^ ^o^

Hikari stepped back a few feet to look at her finished work: a small green pot which housed a miniature cactus plant on the center of her coffee table and a white elevated planter which carried a few snake plants on the empty corner of her room.  She wanted easy-to-care plants since she was not too educated in plant care.

_Putting them in those spots of the room would allow them to get the afternoon sun,_ Hikari reasoned, tilting her head from side to side to see from different angles.  _If anything, it’s not the end of the world if I have to rearrange some things for their sake._

*Ding dong, bing bong*

Hikari blinked and looked at the monitor.  “Is it ten already?”

The screen turned on to what has been the usual image shown in the past couple of days: Monokuma sitting on his wicker chair with a glass of blue colored liquid.  “Ahem…Hope’s Peak Academy’s School Trip Executive Committee has an announcement to make…”  Hikari crossed her arms, expecting the same old message, but almost jumped out of her skin when Monokuma screamed, “Emergency, emergency!”  Hikari fixed her glasses which became askew when she jolted, grumbling at the bear on the screen.

“That stupid bear…didn’t have to yell…”  She could have sworn that Monokuma’s grin widened, the bear having guessed that he scared a few of the teens watching this broadcast.

“Students, head over to Jabberwock Park as fast as you can!  Come on, hurry up!  Whoever gets there first, I’ll treat you to my special-made curry rice tomorrow night!  Come on, hurry the eff up!”  Then, the screen went blank.

Hikari sneered at the monitor.  “Like hell I’d eat that…it could be poisoned for all I know…I’m not going to rush over there just because he tells me to.”  She made sure that the plants were watered and that she had her electronic handbook and key before she left her home, locking the door behind her.  Since she took her time to get to the park, the Spirit Medium wasn’t surprised she was one of the last ones to have arrived.  She walked up to Chiaki and Mahiru near the center of the park’s paved circle when Fuyuhiko started mouthing off.

“Hey, where the hell is Monokuma!?  Get out here, bastard!”  As if on cue, Monokuma’s voice rang out cheerily.

“Okie-dokie, thanks for waiting!  Thanks for the miracle of waiting!”  The stuffed bear popped up by the entrance of the park, standing near Peko, Akane, and Hajime.

Akane stared at Monokuma, slamming a fist into her other hand.  “Hey Monokuma!  I was the first one here!  That means I get dibs on the curry!”

Hikari sweatdropped.  _Is food all you ever think about?_

“No need to rush, no need to rush,” Monokuma chuckled, rubbing the back of his head with a white paw.  “I’ll properly treat you to my special-made Monokuma Curry tomorrow night.”

“M-Monokuma Curry…?” Hajime asked.

“It’s an extremely delicious curry made from unknown meat, wilted vegetables, and a mysterious brand of rice!” Monokuma bragged arrogantly.

_Knew it would end up like that or be poisoned…Well, I guess eating that could be considered food poisoning…_ Hikari thought to herself, tapping her chin with a finger.

Gundham turned to the short bear, his hamsters on his shoulders.  “Now Monokuma…let us hear what your business is.  However, you should know that I, the Supreme Overlord, have very little time to spare, understand?  If this is something foolish, know that I will feed your remains to these beasts!”

Monokuma tilted his head to the side, confused.  “Huh?  Huh?  You haven’t noticed yet?”

“Noticed what…?” Hikari questioned cautiously.

“The reason why I summoned you guys here…If you look closely at this park, you should be able to notice.”  The teens didn’t have to look that much: to the right of the huge black timer when one enters into the park was a white arcade machine with a wooden stand next to it.  Beside the stand was a gigantic flat screen. Chiaki immediately walked towards the arcade machine, captivated.

“Ah!” Chiaki gasped.  “Isn’t this an arcade machine?”  Hikari quickly followed her friend, afraid that the machine might be a trap.  The others slowly went over to the machine as well, everyone inspecting it warily.  On the top of the arcade screen read “Twilight Syndrome Murder Case.”

Monokuma covered his mouth with his paws.  “Puhuhu…thaaaat’s correct!  Soooo I would like the long-awaited Recreation Time to begin!”

Hajime frowned.  “Don’t tell me…you’re going to tell us to play this game…”

“Definitely sounds like that…” Hikari agreed, a sick feeling starting to develop in her stomach.  Nevertheless, Chiaki was still very interested.

“Hey, what’s the game?  What games are on this?”  Hikari and Hajime looked at her, sweatdropping.

“I’ve only prepared one game, but…it’s truly a gem.  After all, it’s a game that I personally created!” Monokuma assured the Gamer.

Hikari’s eyebrows furrowed, glaring at the stuffed animal.  “I’m sure it is…”

Sonia smiled nervously.  “Then…it is not something I could possibly look forward to playing.”  The Princess’s comment certainly struck a nerve on the evil bear.

“No no, don’t compare it to those amateur fanservice games…” he warned, looking slightly aggravated before staring at the group sinisterly.  “You know that famous game that everyone’s been waiting for a sequel to?  Well I made a brand-new game instead!”

“What…?” Hikari raised an eyebrow confused, clearly not up to date with the video game industry.

“Now then, I shall present it!”  Monokuma hopped onto the wooden stand, his signature drink in his white paw.  “Tadaaa!” he exclaimed, his black paw gesturing to the huge flat screen which turned on and showed the same image as what the arcade screen was showing.  “The name of the game is Twilight Syndrome Murder Case!”

“What the heck!?  That’s pretty lame!” Hiyoko said insultingly.  “I wanna play games about riddle-solving professors or collecting cute monsters.”

“Stupid!  Don’t say such silly things!  What if we get weighed down by all the quarters!?”

Hikari tilted her head to the left.  _What does that even mean?_

Chiaki raised a finger.  “Twilight Syndrome is an adventure game series…The first one was released in 1996…It’s about a group of high school girls who go exploring in order to verify numerous urban legends…The player controls the character like a side-scroller.”

Hikari itched her cheek.  _Her behavior definitely amped up compared to earlier.  She seemed to act like this when I was in her room the other night too…_

Hiyoko still looked unimpressed.  “But adventure games are boring and tedious to play, right?”  Monokuma was beginning to look let down, his head looking downwards.

“Don’t diss adventure games…” Monokuma mumbled.  “Besides, there’s a lot of reasons to make one…You know…like budgetary reasons!”

“Man, and I was a big fan of the series,” Chiaki sighed, disappointed.  “I don’t know why, but I feel like you’ve totally tainted the series.”

The Spirit Medium nodded, her arms crossed.  “I wouldn’t put it past him…”

The agitated bear threw his drink to the side, showing off his claws aggressively.  “Shouldn’t you be tainting your face with tears of gratitude?  I’ve cast a spotlight on a neglected title!”

“And what’s the point of this game?” Hajime asked.

Monokuma paused and turned to the plain teenager with a blank stare.  “…Hm?”

“I mean…it’s not like you’re telling us to play it just to enjoy it, right?”

Forgetting that he was supposed to be having a fit, the black and white bear started giggling.  “Puhuhuhu…you certainly noticed the good part.  That’s right, this game is gonna be your next motive!  The motive you need to kill people!  After all, I’m gonna get bored if the next blackened doesn’t show up soon!”

Chiaki’s expression suddenly turned serious.  “This game is…the motive…?”

“In truth, the game’s theme is a missing link.  You know, it’s a recurring theme for mysteries, right?  It’s kinda like a hidden connection.”

“Wh-What does that mean…?” Mikan asked timidly, her lip quivering.

“If you’re interested…then try playing it!” Monokuma encouraged with a menacing aura around him.

“…O-Okay,” Mikan whimpered, looking absolutely terrified.

Mahiru grabbed Mikan’s arm, looking stern.  “Hey!  You can’t!  You gotta say no!  It’s a trap!”

Kazuichi nervously glanced around at his friends.  “Hey, if that’s the motive, won’t it be okay if we just don’t play it?”

_That actually sounds like a good idea,_ Hikari thought.  The Spirit Medium felt somewhat relieved that she didn’t grow up with video games so she felt no temptations to play this one especially if it was a motive given by Monokuma.

“I see…” Monokuma mused.  “That never occurred to me.”  He placed a paw to his chin, tilting his head curiously.  “…But, are you sure you wanna do that?  Learning the motive means that you’re gonna be prepared, you know.  Humans who are prepared…and humans who aren’t…I don’t have to tell you which is strong and which is weak, right?”

“…Wh-What do you mean?” Mahiru asked warily.

“Puhuhu…For example…if someone secretly played it, that person might come and kill you.  In the context of a preemptive strike…that’s truly fatal!”

Hikari bit her lip, starting to feel uneasy.  _What does that mean?  Is there something in the game that would cause the player to be murderous?_

“You guys are all enemies, you know?  Is it really all right for your enemy to have an advantage?  If you’re just gonna ignore it, then do whatever you like, even if you’re fully aware of the situation.  Bye byeeee!”  The stuffed bear ended the meeting like that, jumping down from the stand and vanished behind it.

“H-Hey…what should we do?” Kazuichi asked, fidgeting slightly.

Mahiru frowned, feeling uncertain.  “E-Even if you ask me…There’s no way I’ll know…”

“Anyway,” Peko spoke up, looking a bit tense, “it would be dangerous to carelessly touch this game.  There is no mistaking that.”

“You are right…” Sonia agreed.  “It might be better if we wait and see how this plays out.”

“But…wouldn’t it be bad if someone secretly played the game while we’re waiting?” Hiyoko asked, her hands gripping the hems of her kimono’s sleeves.  “Whoever gets the motive would become the hunter and the rest of us would be the prey.”

“Th-That’s a messed up way to think about it…!” Hajime stammered, sweatdropping.

“…But it’s true,” Fuyuhiko said calmly, hands in his pockets.  He then grinned.  “Heh…it’s your loss if you end up dying.  All we need to do is kill if we want to win.”  The Yakuza turned and started to walk to the park’s entrance to leave.  “I don’t want to end up like Togami or Hanamura.”  The group quietly watched him leave.  Hikari frowned, not sure what to think of Fuyuhiko.

_He’s not exactly friendly…but I don’t know…There’s something about him that makes me think of him as more neutral than either ally or enemy right now…_

“It doesn’t matter,” Chiaki suddenly said.

“…Huh?” asked Hajime.

“Motive or otherwise, it doesn’t matter…I won’t let another killing happen.  I will never…ever…let another killing happen.”  Hikari felt her heart drop into her stomach, remembering Byakuya’s promise to protect everyone only just a couple of nights ago.

*Ding dong, bing bong*

A static filled Hikari’s ears as the monitor turned on to broadcast Monokuma’s nightly message.

“Ahem!  Hope’s Peak Academy’s School Trip Executive Committee has an announcement to make…It is now 10:00 p.m.  Please return to your rooms and relax.  Let the sound of the ocean gently rock you to sleep.  Now then, sweet dreams, everyone.  Good niiiiiiiiiight…”  Once the monitor turned off, everyone remained silent for a moment.

Nekomaru grunted quietly.  “It’s already that time, huh…It’s better if we just break for the day.”

“I’ll try to think about it tonight more carefully…” Mahiru said.  “The correct thing for me to do…But, regardless, I will never kill anyone.  I mean, it’s impossible.”

“M-Me too…it’s definitely impossible…” Mikan stuttered, her hands clasped tightly.

“Then, for now, we should turn in for the day,” Kazuichi suggested.  He walked away with a hand in the air, waving half-heartedly.  “I’ll see y’all in the morning…”

Chiaki yawned loudly, covering her mouth with a hand.  “Ah, I feel sleepy.  I should go back…”

“I’ll go with you.  I don’t want you sleepwalking into any trees or into the ocean,” Hikari volunteered, Hajime sweatdropping slightly, having overheard Hikari’s comment.

_I should follow them just in case…_ he thought to himself, not sure if they’d make it back safely based on both girls’ tendency to walk with their eyes closed when exhausted.  When he made sure that his two friends made it to the vicinity of the cottages, Hajime let out a small sigh of relief and turned left to his cottage to retire for the night, one less worry off of his mind.

^o^ ^o^

Hikari walked towards the library on the second island the next day.  She wasn’t in the greatest of moods, but she could’ve felt a lot worse.  The Spirit Medium was finishing up her breakfast at the hotel’s restaurant when Mahiru came up to her with a tray of food.  The redhead told Hikari that the food was for Nagito, seeing if the bespectacled girl would bring it.  With one look at Hikari’s darkened expression, Mahiru sweatdropped and smiled sheepishly, briskly walking away with the tray in hand.

Hikari closed her eyes and sighed heavily.  _I never really thought I was capable of holding a heavy grudge…I never really held a grudge for that matter.  Why do I have this uneasy feeling when it comes to Komaeda?  Well…he was going to kill me, but his would-be victim could’ve been anyone…I was just at the wrong place at the wrong time.  Maybe I just feel betrayed because I thought of him as a potential close friend until he showed his true nature during the trial…I guess I didn’t expect him to be like all my past friends…_

The blue-eyed teen walked into the stately building and started to look through the shelves, reading the titles.  She realized rather quickly that a lot of the books were in many different languages.  Hikari pouted slightly, taking out a book in Chinese, skimming through the pages.  The Spirit Medium lifted her head towards the double doors when she heard the doors open and then quickly slam shut, spotting a pale looking Hajime, his back against the door.

“Are you okay, Hinata?” Hikari asked softly as she put the book back on the shelf before walking over to him.  The boy almost flinched when he heard a feminine voice, but began to relax when he saw it was Hikari.  He was still trying to catch his breath when he answered.

“Y-Yeah…I am trying to…get away from Tsumiki…she insisted that I have a physical examination including blood tests…” Hajime panted, sweat visible on his face.  Hikari sweatdropped slightly.

“O-Oh…”

Gaining his composure, Hajime cleared his throat.  “So how come you’re in the library?  You like to read?”

Hikari blinked, a finger to her chin.  “Yes, I like to read…I mean that was one of the few entertaining activities I was exposed to when growing up.  My family didn’t have much, but we had a house and other necessities.”

“I-I see…” Hajime murmured, feeling somewhat awkward for making the smaller teenager think about her past struggles.

Hikari blushed slightly, waving a hand carelessly.  “Oh!  It wasn’t like I had a bad childhood because I was poorer than most!  I was very close to my sister and she read stories to me until I was able to read on my own.”

Hajime smiled a little.  “That’s good then…”  Hikari blushed more, noticing that they were alone in the building.  She pushed up her glasses, the lights’ glare shielding her eyes.

“A-Anyway…I’m here to see if we overlooked any clues from these books…but many of them are in different languages…I can’t translate them without my talent…I could have channeled spirits who could have deciphered the texts to us…” Hikari explained as she went back to searching for Japanese-written books, Hajime following her.

“Do you need any help?”

Hikari paused, her hand resting on a book about wildlife.  She felt her cheeks burning as she processed what Hajime asked.  _He…asked if he can help me…?  What if…?  No, Hikari, no.  You’re overthinking this waaaay too much.  He’s just being friendly since he’s a kind person.  There’s no meaning behind this._   Hajime blinked, not quite sure if she heard him or if she doesn’t want his help.

“Uh…Seishin?” Hajime asked, stepping forward.  Hikari jumped in surprise, eyes wide, looking at him.

“Yes!?”  Now, she was blushing from embarrassment.  She didn’t mean to shout especially not in a library and not at the person she was developing affection towards.  Hajime sweatdropped as Hikari covered her mouth and cleared her throat, pushing up her glasses to her face again.  “I-I mean…yes…I would appreciate it a lot if you helped me.  You don’t know any other languages fluently other than Japanese, right?”

Hajime smiled guiltily.  “Yeah…sorry…”

Hikari smiled weakly, still feeling a slight heat in her face.  “That’s okay.  We can just take out Japanese-written books.  I was planning on bringing some books to Chandler Beach.  W-Want to j-join m-me?”  At that point, she just wanted to curl up and die, basically having just asked her crush on what could be seen as a date.  Luckily for her, Hajime didn’t seem to see it in that light.

The boy smiled.  “Sure.  So Japanese-written books then…”  He started to search in a different section of the library to cover more ground.  Hikari lightly leaned against the shelf she was at, a hand over her heart, feeling she was close to having a heart attack from this situation with how fast her heart was beating.

About an hour passed when Hikari and Hajime arrived at the beach, each carrying a small pile of books that they considered might be helpful.  Hikari stood in front of the beach house, scanning the area as if deciding where to settle down at.  Hajime blinked and almost dropped the books in his arms when the Spirit Medium put her books on top of his before walking in the beach house.  “Hold these a moment, please,” Hikari said as she disappeared into the house.  She came back out moments later with a large beach blanket and a couple of bottles of soda.  “Let’s sit down on this blanket…Hm…”  Hikari walked on the soft sand, looking for the perfect spot for the blanket.  She nodded to herself and put the sodas down before spreading the blanket out on the beach.  Hajime came over with the books and they both sat down, facing the sea.

“I…I didn’t know what kind you like…so I…I just guessed…It’s okay if you don’t like it!  I can get one you like!” Hikari rambled quickly, her face turning scarlet, averting her eyes to the ocean as she handed a soda bottle towards Hajime.  She blinked when she felt the weight of the bottle leave her hand.

“I’m not that picky.  I’m fine with most flavors,” Hajime said with a smile.  “Thank you, Seishin.”  Seishin smiled shyly and took the book from the top of the pile.

“Hopefully…we can find something that can help us understand the island’s mysteries or find something about World Ender…”

After reading through a couple of books each and gaining no helpful knowledge about the island or World Ender, Hajime left to use the bathroom in the beach house.  Hikari didn’t think much of it, going back to reading about the cultivation of tropical fruits like pineapples and mangos.  However, the Spirit Medium was beginning to worry when she finished two chapters of the book and Hajime still hasn’t returned.

_He’s taking a very long time in there…Is he okay?  Should I go check up on him…?  But what if he’s not in there?  What if he got bored of being with me and left?  What if he doesn’t like me…_   She didn’t realize she was standing up and about to run to the beach house when Hajime approached from the winding path around the building with a plastic bag.

“Hey, Seishin.  Sorry that I took so long.  I went and got ourselves a couple of burgers,” Hajime said sheepishly, hoping he wasn’t gone that long, showing Hikari the bag.  The raven-haired girl blinked, stopping in her tracks.  Hajime flinched when Hikari started yelling at him, the boy completely surprised by her sudden outburst.

“Hinata, you idiot!  You had me very worried!  What if you were the next victim!?  You could have told me that you were going to the diner!  I would have went with you!  You’re so stupid!”

Hajime had no idea on how to respond to this.  He never thought that this would make her upset.  The only time he saw a fire under her was towards Komaeda during the trial.  He smiled weakly.  “S-Sorry…”  He sweatdropped when Hikari walked back to the blanket, arms crossed and angrily sat down.  Hajime cautiously went over and slowly sat on the opposite side of the blanket, practically sitting on the edge.  He pulled out the burgers and held out one towards the angry girl, who refused to look at him.  He exhaled with relief when she took the food and started to open the burger’s wrapping.  He unwrapped his own, feeling awkward from causing the tense atmosphere between them.  “I’m sorry that I worried you…After I went to the bathroom, I felt hungry and thought that you might have been too so I went out the back door to get some food from the diner…It took longer than I thought because I didn’t know what you liked…I guess I should’ve told you…then I could’ve known what you wanted.”  He frowned when Hikari remained silent.

“…I was hungry…Thank you, Hinata…” Hikari whispered, having already eaten a few bites from the burger, her delicate hands gripped the burger carefully.  “This burger is fine…”  Hajime smiled and began eating, not minding if Hikari still wasn’t looking at him.  He also didn’t notice his friend’s blushing face and glossy eyes behind her red glasses as they ate, quietly watching the sun start to set.

When they finished eating, the two decided that it would be pointless if they continued trying to go through the books in the dark.  The books didn’t give any insight to their predicament anyway; they mainly contained knowledge about wildlife, plants, and agriculture.  The crescent moon and stars shone brightly as Hikari and Hajime left the library, having returned the borrowed books.

“Sorry that I ended up wasting a whole afternoon,” Hikari said with a small frown.

Hajime blinked and smiled, looking forward.  “Nah…don’t worry about it.  I like spending time with you.”  Hikari looked at the ground, blushing yet again.  They walked over the bridge towards the central island in a comfortable silence.  It was then when he was thinking about what Nagito told him earlier when Hajime was coerced by Mahiru to give the Luckster his meal.  _I should check out that game…I mean…it won’t get me killed…I hope…_ he thought, sweatdropping, praying to whatever higher being is out there that he didn’t just give himself a death flag.  Hajime glanced at the Spirit Medium who was a couple steps ahead of him.  _Thinking about Komaeda…I wonder if those two will ever reconcile…Seishin took it very hard during and right after the trial…But I definitely would understand if she doesn’t…Komaeda can really get under your skin if you let him…He even annoys me when I’m around him now…_

 “Seishin?”  The young woman turned her head slightly to the left to have eye contact with her companion while walking.  Hajime took this as a sign to go on speaking.  “I know it’s been a couple of days…but how are you feeling?  I know it must have been very difficult being blamed for murder by Komaeda only to find out that he was very close to killing you.”  Hikari frowned, looking forward again before slowing down and eventually stopping halfway on the bridge connecting the central island to the first island.  He stopped walking and looked back when she wasn’t moving.  She stood still, her bangs covering her eyes, her hands slowing turning to fists by her sides.

“I…was very angry,” Hikari said slowly as if not sure how to express her feelings.  “I mean…he was very nice to me…and to you during the first couple of days of being here…I really thought he was different from classmates in the past…I thought that he was genuine then.  I didn’t know that he would do something so…terrible to any of us just for the sake of his so-called ‘hope.’”  Her face scrunched a bit when she emphasized Komaeda’s murderous intention.  “I was upset when I found out that he was going to kill me…I even fainted for a few minutes.”  Hikari crossed her arms, her eyes wandering towards the calm ocean, smiling derisively.  “But, as I had time to think about it…I’m okay with that since it could have been anyone who was closest to that table.  I was just at the wrong place at the wrong time.  What really pisses me off about him is the feeling that I was betrayed by him…I let my guard down, trusting him since I felt vulnerable and alone from not being to use my talent…I had never been alone for as long as I can remember since I always had spirits around me.  When Komaeda showed his true colors, it hit me really hard…and the fact that he was being so condescending at times to you…and towards the others…” Hikari quickly added, her face starting to burn, almost letting it slip that she was more concerned towards Hajime than everyone else for obvious reasons.

“Seishin…you’re never alone.”  Hikari turned back to face Hajime, eyes wide to find the plain-looking teen standing in front of her with a reassuring smile.  “You have everyone on the island who support you.  They proved that to you during and after the trial.  You have friends, Seishin…despite what happened in the past.  Don’t let people like Komaeda or anyone else try to convince you otherwise.”  Hikari stared at him, her eyes starting to water as a feeling of joy and a sense of relief washed over her body.  She blinked back the tears as a smile formed on her lips, her cheeks still a rosy red.

_He’s right…I just have to stay positive.  I have friends who have my back now…I have Mioda, Koizumi, Nevermind, Nanami,…and Hinata…_   Hikari walked until she stood beside him.  “Thank you, Hinata.  I really needed to hear that.”  After a short moment of just smiling at each other, the two teens walked back to the first island and towards the hotel complex, both of them carrying a newly gained Hope Fragment each in their possession.

Hikari and Hajime parted ways with a smile and a wave at the intersection surrounded by the cottages.  Just as she walked up to her cottage, Hikari heard a voice calling out her name.

“Seishin!”  The Spirit Medium turned to her left to find Sonia, Peko, and Akane walking to her.  Hikari turned to face them with a smile.

“Hi, Nevermind.  What’s going on?”

Akane grinned, a hand on her hip.  “Nevermind told us about the girls’ day at the beach she wanted to do.  Sounds like a blast!  Can we have food there too!?”

Peko blinked.  “Well, the diner is on the way.  While you were away, Seishin, the girls discussed about when and where to meet up for our gathering.  We decided it was easiest to meet at the diner.”

Hikari nodded.  “That makes sense.”

“So I proposed that we all meet at the diner tomorrow at around four p.m.  Does that sound reasonable to you, Seishin?”  Sonia asked the smaller girl politely.

“Sure!  I don’t see why not.  I can’t wait!” Hikari answered happily.

“Wonderful!” Sonia cheered, her face beaming.  “Make sure to wear a swimsuit!”

“See ya tomorrow, Seishin,” Akane said with a wave as the girls walked away.  Hikari felt her body shiver a little from excitement.  When she laid on her bed for the night, she tried to remember the last time she felt this happy from being around people who were still among the living.

_I really can’t remember, but that’s fine…I just have to live in the present.  No more dwelling in the past.  Onee-san wouldn’t want me to do that.  I have friends now.  I am actually happy despite being in this killing game.  I can get through this as long as I have my friends with me._   Hikari slowly closed her eyes, this being the first night she fell asleep with a smile on her face since she arrived on Jabberwock Island.

Days Left: 16

Survivors: 15


	12. Death Sure Enjoys Crashing Parties

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The 2nd murder and the beginning of the investigation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the Danganronpa series. I only own Hikari Seishin and her family. I also do not own any video games I mention in this fanfic.
> 
> Note: I try to make the story as canon as I can with obvious creative liberties. Please let me know if any of the original cast is OOC and I will do my best to fix it.

The sounds of button tapping filled Hikari’s ears as she yawned and rubbed her eyes, standing next to Chiaki who was playing the arcade game in the hotel’s lobby the next morning.  Hikari glanced at the entrance when the door opened, blushing lightly and smiling.  Hajime walked in casually and walked over to the two girls with a smile.  “…Good morning.”

“Good morning,” Hikari said quietly, surprised to feel a bit breathless.  She never thought breathlessness could be a result of shyness.

“G’morning Hinata,” said Chiaki, the button tapping stopped.  The Gamer turned to face Hajime.

Hajime blinked.  “Ah, it’s rare for you to reply so quickly in the morning.”

“Yup,” Chiaki nodded, “I just finished playing a game right now.  More importantly…I was just wondering.  Is someone bringing food to Komaeda?”  Hajime sweatdropped slightly, glancing at Hikari who looked a bit annoyed at the mention of the Luckster’s name.

“I brought him food yesterday morning…I don’t know about the others.” 

Chiaki stood there in silence for a few moments, blinking before saying, “Is it…alright if I see how he’s doing later?  I’ll head over to the restaurant for now.”  Hikari stared with a stunned expression at Chiaki as the backpack-carrying girl walked away, going up the stairs.

 _Wait…what?  Why would she…?_   Then the Spirit Medium remembered a certain vow Chiaki made the night the second motive was revealed.  _“I won’t let another killing happen.  I will never…ever…let another killing happen.”  I think she wants to make sure Komaeda is still alive since she doesn’t want anyone to die, which I understand.  Maybe I can go with her after we eat…I have to face him at some point…I can’t run away anymore._   She looked around, feeling eyes staring at her and blushed deeply, not noticing that Hajime was still there with her.

“You didn’t seem happy when Nanami talked about Komaeda so I wanted to see if you are okay.”  The tie-wearing boy stepped toward her, leaning down slightly.  “Are you alright?  Your face is red.”  Hikari held back a squeak when she saw Hajime’s hand move to her forehead and nodded vigorously.

“Y-Yes!  I’m fine…I’m just hungry…Let’s go!”  She twirled and bolted up the stairs, leaving a dumbfounded teen in the hotel lobby.

Minutes later, Hikari was eating food, sitting across from Mikan.  Hikari picked at her plate, still blushing at the thought that Hajime almost touched her.

“A-Are you feeling okay, Seishin?” Mikan looked at her friend, concerned.  Hikari smiled with reassurance.

“Don’t worry, I’m fine.  Oh, you know about the get-together today with the girls, right?” Hikari asked, swiftly changing the subject.

Mikan smiled happily.  “Oh yes…!  I cannot wait…I’m very excited to spend time with everyone.”  Hikari smiled and started eating.  She was glad that Mikan was going since she didn’t spend that much time with the Nurse so far.  Just when Hikari thought they were going to have a relatively nice and calm breakfast like yesterday, Hiyoko opened her mouth.

“You just eat too much, Owari.”

Akane blinked, waving a carefree hand in the air.  “You’re one to talk.  All you eat is candy.”

“Just because it’s candy doesn’t mean you should make fun of it,” Hiyoko pouted.  “These gummies have four different fruit flavors, so I’m sure they’re full of nutrients.”

“You should just eat real fruit.”

“…Is Koizumi missing?” Gundham asked, his arms crossed, his hamsters eating the scraps on the Breeder’s plate.

Everyone blinked in surprise and looked around.  Hikari raised an eyebrow.  _That isn’t like her to not show up…unless she is giving Komaeda some food._

Sonia looked worried.  “Um…I wonder if she is not feeling well.”

“If she just doesn’t feel good, that’s fine…” Kazuichi said slowly.  “But there’s a small chance that she’s…”

“A s-small chance she’s what!?” both Hiyoko and Hikari shouted at the Mechanic.  The two girls glanced at each other and Hiyoko puffed out her cheeks but didn’t say any insults towards the Spirit Medium.  Hikari sweatdropped slightly.

_I guess she’s becoming a bit more tolerant of others…?_

“Hm?” Akane hummed as she gorged herself with breakfast foods.  “I saw Koizumi, she was outside the hotel.”

“Jeez, don’t say such a spooky thing,” the Traditional Dancer chided Kazuichi, but Hikari noticed that Hiyoko’s demeanor lacked her usual cattiness.   Then Hiyoko smiled brightly.  “As punishment, how about you run around in a circle three times, say ‘woof,’ and jump off a cliff?”

Hikari looked at the pig-tailed girl with a deadpan stare.  _And right when I thought she was getting better with normal social interactions, Saionji just has to prove me wrong…_

“Hey, hey!  What was Koizumi doing outside the hotel?” Ibuki wondered, furrowing her eyebrows.

Akane swallowed a mouthful of food before answering.  “She said she wanted to be alone.  I even asked her to come eat with us, but she turned it down.”

“…Wanted to be alone?” Peko asked, a hand to her chin.

“M-Maybe…she’s planning to play that game…” Mikan suggested shyly, fidgeting her hands nervously.

Hiyoko spun around and pointed a finger at the Nurse in anger.  “What are you saying, pig barf!?  Shut up!  There’s no way that Mahiru would play video games!  She’s not like that slowpoke gamer girl over there!”  Chiaki blinked, looking up from her handheld and waved a hand nonchalantly before going back to playing her game.  Mikan’s lip started quivering, her grayish-purple eyes full of tears.

“Eeeekk…I am pig barf, aren’t I…?”  Hikari smiled comfortingly towards the distressed girl, patting her hand.

“No, you’re not, Tsumiki. Don’t listen to her.  It’s just Saionji being Saionji,” Hikari said to reassure Mikan, earning a growl from the smallest teen of the group.  Suddenly the girls could hear an evil laughter coming from a few tables away.  The source of the laughter came from Gundham who was standing at the table where Hajime and Kazuichi were sitting.

“Fuhaha, you make me laugh!  Laugh, I say!” Gundham roared, arms crossed.  “You’ve elevated arrogance to an artform!  What sort of supreme ruler feels concern for the ants who are destined to be crushed!?  My name is Tanaka Gundham!  I am the forbidden ruler who makes even the god of darkness flee in terror!  All I desire…is silence and indifference…Silence…and indifference…”  He trailed off, holding all four of his hamsters in the palms of his hands, looking at them with a gentle yet sad expression on his face.

Hikari tilted her head.  _I wonder why Tanaka went on a tangent like that…maybe he’s lonely…?  Maybe I could hang out with him tomorrow._   She got up from her seat and gave Mikan another reassuring smile.  “I’ll see you later.”  Mikan sniffled, seeming to have finally calmed down, smiling weakly and waving at Hikari as the Spirit Medium left the table.  Hikari walked up to Chiaki who just came out of the kitchen carrying a bagel with cream cheese and a bottle of water.  “Hey Nanami.  Going to see Komaeda?”

Chiaki blinked and nodded.  “Yup.  Want to come?”

Hikari took a deep breath and nodded slowly.  “Yeah…I can’t avoid him forever, huh?”

Both the girls walked to the staircase outside, leaving the restaurant that way.  As they got closer to their destination, waves of anxiety started to form in Hikari’s chest.  _I don’t think I’m ready to face him…I can’t do this…I can’t…_   Chiaki opened the door to the old hotel building and was about to walk in when she sensed that Hikari wasn’t beside her.  The Gamer blinked and looked back, seeing her nervous friend stand at the bottom of the front steps.

“Are you coming?” Chiaki asked, tilting her head slightly.

“I…I don’t know if I can…”

“Huh?  You can.  You walked all the way here.”

Hikari sweatdropped.  _You don’t have to be literal all the time…_   She gently bit her tongue, her eyes staring at the ground.  _She has a point though…I came all the way here…might as well follow through…_   The Spirit Medium slowly lifted her foot onto the first step, her legs feeling like lead.  Chiaki smiled a little as she watched Hikari make herself face her fears.  When Hikari reached Chiaki, the Gamer linked arms with her and led her into the building.

Hikari felt her heart beat in her ears as they entered the dining hall to see Komaeda lying on his side and tied up with ropes around his legs and a chain securing his hands behind his back.  Signs of any murder scene or remnants of a party being held there were nowhere to be found.

“Oh, I never expected you two to grace me with your presences,” a calm, yet condescending voice came from the restrained teenager.  “To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?”  Hikari’s eye began to twitch.

 _Why am I even here…?  He’s just going to piss me off…_   Hikari glared at the Luckster, not even giving him the satisfaction of an answer.  Chiaki walked closer to him and placed the bagel and bottle of water on a couple of napkins she brought with her close to him.

“I came to check in on you.  You need to eat,” Chiaki said plainly, squatting down in front of him.

“Just this?” Komaeda asked, looking disappointed.  “Hinata gave me a better meal.  He even fed me…”  Suddenly, Hikari stooped down before him, her expression ominous.

“Just be grateful that you’re getting food at all considering what you pulled a few nights ago…” Hikari muttered, her self-control towards her anger already slipping.

“My, my…you still seem bitter about that…”

“I’m angry that you lied to me and betrayed my trust,” Hikari admitted, feeling her anger give her the strength to face Komaeda.  However, she would never tell him how much his betrayal hurt her.

Komaeda closed his eyes with a small smirk.  “I did say that everyone’s true natures were not revealed…do you honestly think that every person was acting as their true self during the first couple of days here?  Everyone’s guards were up even though they seem friendly and happy.  You were lost in your own little world, trying to grasp the talent that you lost.  And how is that by the way?”  He blinked and pretended to look surprised, knowing very well that he struck a nerve.  “Did you recover your talent yet, Miss Spirit Medium?”  Hikari clenched her fists tightly, gritting her teeth, her body starting to tremble.

“Shut up and eat…” Hikari said slowly, holding back her anger as much as she can.  “I can stuff it in your mouth if you want someone to feed you…”

The Luckster chuckled, moving against the restraints a bit to get more comfortable.  “Someone’s in a bad mood…I can help you, you know.  I can give you the retribution that you want from me.  All you need to do is kill me.  I can help you plan it and I’m more than happy to support your hope by becoming a stepping stone.”  Hikari froze where she was, shocked that he was telling her all of this.

 _Why…?  Why does he want to die so badly?  What has he experienced before coming here to have such a low sense of self-worth?  I don’t like him, but…I can’t help but feel sorry for him at times…Is his offer to help me a way of expressing that he is sorry for almost killing me and treating me this way?_   Hikari’s thoughts were interrupted by Chiaki opening the water bottle and moving Komaeda so that he was at least sitting up.  She took out a straw from her pocket and unwrapped it before placing it in the bottle so that the white-haired teen could have better access to the water.

“I just wanted to check up on you,” Chiaki reiterated her reason for being there, standing up.  “Seeing that you are okay and that you have food that you can eat on your own, I am going to leave.”  She turned around and casually walked out, Hikari taking this as a cue to go as well.  Hikari stood up and quickly followed Chiaki, glancing back at Komaeda who just sat there with a smile.

When they walked to the front door of the old hotel building, Chiaki’s eyes moved to Hikari who caught up to her.  “You’re not going to do what he said, right?”

Hikari blinked.  “Huh?  Do what?”

Chiaki stopped at the door and turned to her friend.  “You’re not going to kill Komaeda, right?”  The bespectacled girl gaped at her.

“Wh-What?  No way!  Why would you ask me that?”

“You seemed like you were thinking about it before we left the dining hall,” Chiaki explained, watching the Spirit Medium closely.  Hikari waved her hands defensively.

“No no no!  I was only shocked he would even say that to me.  Plus, I would never go against what you want because we’re friends.”

_“I won’t let another killing happen.  I will never…ever…let another killing happen.”_

Both girls smiled at each other and walked outside.  Hikari stretched out her arms and looked at the Gamer.  “Well…we have a few hours before we meet the girls at the diner.  What do you want to do?”  Chiaki held her backpack straps, blinking.

“Well, I told Hinata that I would hang out with him for a couple of hours.  I still need to get a swimsuit too...”  Hikari felt her heart sink when she heard that Chiaki was going to be with Hajime before the meet up with the other girls.

 _I know that I shouldn’t feel this way…he’s just a friend…he can hang out with whoever he wants…he’s close with Nanami too…They might even be more than friends…_ Hikari thought with a frown before realizing what Chiaki was saying, her face turning beet red.  “W-Wait, Nanami!  Uh…how about we get swimsuits together?  I think clothes shopping might bore Hinata…I need to get a swimsuit too.”  Hikari swore that she was slowly dying inside, feeling her whole body temperature rise.  Chiaki tilted her head, confused.

“Really?  Hmmm…okay.  We can look for swimsuits after I spend time with Hinata…”

Hikari nodded vigorously.  “Great!  How about we meet at Rocketpunch Market around 3 p.m.?  I don’t think it would take that long so we’ll be at the diner before the meeting time.”

“Okay.  I’ll see you then,” Chiaki said before walking off to her cottage.

Hikari exhaled the breath she didn’t realize she held in.  She frowned, hands on her hips.  “Now what do I do until then?” she asked herself.  Hikari wandered around the first island for a little while until she reached the animal ranch where Gundham was, petting the animals and making sure they were fed.

“Hi Tanaka!” Hikari called out to the Breeder, hoping not to spook him or the animals surrounding him.  He turned to the left to see her approaching.

“Ah, if it isn’t the vessel of the departed,” Gundham remarked, Hikari sweatdropping at her new nickname he gave her.  “What brings you out here among the living?  Do you need assistance in summoning a powerful entity?”

“Um…not today, Tanaka…I’m just killing time.”  She squatted down next to the chuunibyou, watching the hamsters run around in the grass.  “Your hamsters aren’t stressed by our situation, being so far away from home?”  Hikari heard the Breeder laugh heartily above her.

“Fuahaha!  As if this pathetic attempt to arouse misery could affect my Four Dark Devas of Destruction!  Their constitutions are so durable that not even the ferocious brothers Cerberus and Orthrus could intimidate them!”  Hikari blinked, trying to make sense of that as Maga-Z sniffed her hand cautiously before deciding that she posed no threat and hopped onto her palm.  She giggled as she gently scratched the hamster’s head, Gundham supervising closely with arms crossed.  “It seems that you tamed one of the more volatile Dark Devas…your mystical aura must have calmed his disposition.”

The young woman smiled at Gundham.  “Thanks!  I always have a soft spot for animals.  I’m glad to see that they are so well behaved.  You did a really great job with them.”  The boy cleared his throat slightly, his cheeks turning a noticeable pink against his pale skin.  His eyes averted Hikari’s gaze, taken aback by the sudden compliment.

“…Thank you…” he mumbled against his scarf.

“So how come they are so calm being away from home?  Don’t animals tend to freak out in a completely new environment?”

Gundham quickly recovered in order to explain the answer, chuckling.  “It may seem like that to puny humans…it is only natural for beasts to be on guard in new areas in case their predators lurk in the shadows.  However, my Four Dark Devas of Destruction have no such fear!  Their essences reside inside this immortal body of mine.  Their home is constant and secure.”

 _Gundham really cares about his hamsters so much that he lets them basically live on him at all times.  That is true dedication towards pets._   Hikari smiled and placed her hand on the grass, letting Maga-Z jump off and run around the other three hamsters, Jum-P sleeping as San-D watched the energetic male before chasing him while Cham-P groomed himself and minded his own business.  The Spirit Medium ended up hanging out with the gothic-looking boy until it was just around 3 p.m., the time she and Chiaki decided to meet at the supermarket, the two quiet teens talking about animals the whole time.

When Hikari left the animal ranch and arrived at the supermarket, she saw Chiaki waiting by the entrance playing her handheld.  “Were you waiting long, Nanami?” Hikari asked as she neared her friend.

“No…I don’t think so…” Chiaki said, her eyes still glued to the handheld’s screen as the two girls strolled into the building.

Hikari closed her eyes, smiling to herself.  _Of course she wouldn’t know if she was waiting a while or not…She gets so immersed in her games…_   The Spirit Medium led the Gamer to the beachwear section of the store.  The glasses-adorning girl tilted her head to the side, not very impressed with the selection of swimsuits.  “Huh…they are all bikinis…”

“Is that a problem?”

“W-Well…I have never worn a swimsuit besides a school one and the school ones were always one-pieces…”  Chiaki stared at Hikari blankly, still not really sure what the problem was.  Hikari blushed, feeling embarrassed at having to explain things for her dense friend.  “Bikinis show a lot of skin…I’ll feel self-conscious if I wear one.”

“It’s going to be a girls’ day out, right?  There won’t be boys there.”  Hikari felt her whole face burn as if it was on fire.  “Besides…Pekoyama and Owari will be there and they’ll beat up any perverts if you ask them to,” Chiaki said nonchalantly as she walked to a rack of bikinis and grabbed one at random as she continued to play her game with one hand.  Hikari sweatdropped as the Gamer spun around and headed to the fitting room nearby.

“She’s right…I just have to be confident in myself…” Hikari encouraged herself as she looked through the swimwear, checking the designs and sizes.

“Have you picked one yet?”

“Mmm…not yet…trying to find my size…” Hikari started to say, almost having to do a double take.  Chiaki stood outside the fitting room in a white bikini, the bottom being a three-layer ruffle miniskirt and the top was a halter with a frill on the top of the bra cups, a stringed bow between each cup as if it was keeping the top from becoming undone.  The busty girl blinked blankly at the stunned girl gaping at her.

“Did I put it on wrong?” Chiaki checked herself, her bag still on her back.

“N-No!  You look great!” Hikari complimented her graciously, hiding her slight envy.  _No wonder Hinata would want to hang out with her…she has a great figure…_   Hikari wouldn’t deny that even though she looked delicate and feminine, she had a feeling that many teenage boys would drool over girls with curves.  She thought she had some curves to her body but they paled to those of the other girls here.  Chiaki walked back to the bikinis and picked one out as Hikari wallowed in self-pity.

“Here.  Try this on,” Chiaki said, putting the swimsuit into the other girl’s hands and pushed her gently into the fitting room.

“H-Huh!?  Wha-?  N-Nanami…!”  Hikari tried to resist, but to no avail.  She never knew that Chiaki had some strength to her.  The pigtailed teen sighed softly and decided she might as well try the bathing suit on.  _It doesn’t hurt to try, I guess…_   A few minutes later, Hikari stood in front of the full-length mirror in the fitting room she was in, staring at the young woman in the mirror.  The bikini had a simple stripe design of white and red, the outlines of both the top and the bottom being a darker red.  The bottom was a regular bikini bottom and the top’s shape was very similar to Chiaki’s, the only differences were that Hikari’s top had no frills and the bow at the center was made of a thick red ribbon.  The self-conscious teen twirled around, inspecting every inch of the outfit.  “Hmm…it doesn’t look too bad…”  She opened the door and stepped out so that Chiaki could see her in the swimsuit the Gamer picked for her.  “W-Well?” Hikari asked timidly, her cheeks red. 

Chiaki looked up from staring at her handheld and blinked at the Spirit Medium a couple of times.  Finally, she gave a thumbs up.  “It looks good.  It matches your glasses.”  Hikari sweatdropped.

 _If I knew how to swim, I wouldn’t be wearing them…_  Hikari smiled nonetheless.  “Thanks for picking it out.  Let me go put my clothes over it before we head out to the diner.”  Chiaki tilted her head in confusion as Hikari went back into the fitting room.  When Hikari came back out, Chiaki was nowhere to be seen.  “Nanami?”  She wandered around the store until she found the backpack-wearing girl in the frozen foods section, placing novelty ice cream into a cardboard container.  “What are you doing?”

“I decided to bring ice cream for everyone.  I was thinking about bringing lunch, but we can always eat at the diner for that.  I don’t think the diner has ice cream and I heard that you must eat ice cream outside during a sunny day with friends,” Chiaki explained as she put a couple of ice cream sandwiches into the box.

Hikari raised an eyebrow.  _Where have you heard that?_   “Anyway…are you going to go like that?  Are your clothes in your bag?”

Chiaki blinked at Hikari with a questioning look.  “My clothes are in the stall I tried the swimsuit in.  It doesn’t make sense to put on my clothes over this when I’m just going to take them off when we get to the beach.” 

Hikari smiled weakly.  “I guess you have a point…Well, let’s go so that the ice cream doesn’t melt.”  With that, Chiaki closed the box of ice cream, the top of the box folding so that she can carry it by the handles.  They walked out of Rocketpunch Market and towards the second island.

When they reached the vicinity of the diner, Hikari stared at what she thought was Hiyoko running past them towards the bridge.

“Was that Saionji?” Chiaki wondered, watching the person speed onto the bridge and out of sight.

Hikari shrugged.  “If it was…then I’m amazed that she can run that fast in her traditional sandals….”  Remembering they had precious cargo with them, Chiaki and Hikari hurried to the diner.

“Hey…” the two girls heard a masculine voice as Hikari opened the door and walked into the diner with Chiaki.  “Whoa…!  When’d you two get here so suddenly!?”  Hikari blinked, seeing Kazuichi and Hajime as well as Ibuki and Mikan who, like Hikari, wore their clothes over their swimsuits.

“My, my, how disappointing.  I thought if we came early, we’d be the first ones to arrive,” Chiaki complained, Hikari sweatdropping slightly.  Seeing the boys ogling at Chiaki had Hikari thank the heavens above that she made the correct choice in wearing her clothes over her bikini.  She didn’t think her heart could handle the boys’ unrelenting stares.

 _T-Though…I wouldn’t have minded if Hinata stared at me like that…_ the bespectacled girl wished helplessly.  _It seems like Nanami is more of his type…I knew it…_

“Whoaaaaaa!  Nanami, you came wearing only your bathing suit!?” Ibuki asked in wonder, also taking in the eye candy in front of her.

“I didn’t want to carry it with me.  If I did, it’d be a serious burden,” Chiaki replied.  Hikari almost facepalmed at the Gamer because of what she was carrying both on her back and in her right hand.

Kazuichi itched his cheek, spotting Chiaki’s contradiction as well.  “But…even though you didn’t wanna carry anything, it looks like you’re carrying something.”

“Instead of bringing lunch for everyone…I brought ice cream.”

“Um…It’s not like I’m gonna turn it down, but…” Mikan started to say meekly.  “Ice cream is completely different from lunch.  I don’t think it can be used as a substitute…”

Ignoring Mikan, Chiaki continued talking.  “Also, I was thinking of stuff we could all do at the beach together besides volleyball…so I brought a board game, too!”

“That’s what’s in your backpack, Nanami?  You could’ve put your clothes in that too,” Hikari pointed out.  The Gamer just shrugged at that.

The Musician tapped her chin thoughtfully.  “Hm, should we play it even though we came all this way to go to the beach?  ...Nah!”  She shook her head with a grin, hands on her hips.  Chiaki looked at Ibuki quietly before her lips curved downwards.

“I see, that’s disappointing…”  Hikari patted the downcast girl on the shoulder.

“Don’t worry, Nanami.  I’ll play it with you.”  Chiaki turned to the Spirit Medium and smiled softly when she saw her friend beaming.

“Seriously man…” Kazuichi said to Hajime, hands behind his head and grinning like an idiot.  “I never expected Nanami to have such huge jugs…”  Hikari blushed a beet red when she heard that. 

 _Did he seriously have to say that…and so loud!?  Has he really no shame?_ Hikari thought, looking appalled towards the perverted Mechanic.  Hajime looked very uncomfortable being associated with Kazuichi at that point.  Fortunately, Chiaki was very naïve.

“…Jugs?” Chiaki asked curiously.

Kazuichi panicked and waved his hands defensively before pointing at his friend.  “I-I didn’t say that just now!  It was Hinata!  He’s a pervert, you know!”  Hikari crossed her arms, tapping her foot, not impressed by the pink-haired male at all.

_I beg to differ...He seems like a saint compared to you, Souda…_

Hajime gawked at Kazuichi as the Mechanic tried defending himself further.  “I mean, I only have eyes for Sonia-san!  I’ve dreamed of going out with a blond lady ever since I was a kid!”

“The size is a bit small…” Chiaki admitted.  “…I don’t look good in it?”

“…Huh?” Hajime blinked, his face turning red as he glanced away, rubbing the back of his head.  “Well, no…I guess…you look good…” he mumbled, feeling embarrassed saying that out loud in front of other people.

“Then I’m glad…I guess.”  Hikari frowned, biting the inside of her cheek as she turned away, looking at the diner’s menu boards.  She couldn’t help but notice Chiaki’s blushing cheeks at Hajime’s compliment.

 _It’s a no brainer that she likes him…who wouldn’t?  I can’t compete with her…She’s smart, loves video games, is very kind, gorgeous looks, and has a talent which she can use…_ Hikari held back a heavy sigh, already admitting defeat towards her love rival.  Ibuki’s hyena laughter guaranteed Hikari’s privacy to self-loathe, gaining everyone’s attention.

“Muah-haha!  Wearing a bikini is suuuuuure daring!  And you get bonus points for wearing a white one!  My heart’s not just thumping, it’s thumping all sporadically like ‘Badump, thump! Thump, badump!’”

Hajime sweatdropped.  “It’s probably a heart attack…”

“H-Hey…I kept ya waitin’…we got…the net up…” a tough-sounding feminine voice called out weakly.  Hikari blinked and turned around and gasped loudly, shocked.

“O-Owari!!  What happened!?” she shouted as she stared at the Gymnast who stood at the entrance, hand on the top of her head as blood oozed out.  Blood specked all over her body and white and blue striped bikini.  Akane’s swimsuit was even simpler than Hikari’s; there was no outline hemming the outfit or anything adorning the center of the bra, white straps keeping the top together.

“H-Hey…Sorry to…keep you guys waitin’…” Akane repeated, ignoring Hikari and closing her right eye so that blood wouldn’t get in.

Mikan screeched and ran to the injured girl.  “Eeeeeeeeek!  Owari!?  Wh-What happened to you!?” 

“Wh-What…?  Is somethin’ wrong…?  I made sure to…wear a swimsuit this time…”

“…Not that, your wounds!”

“O-Oh…You’re talkin’ about these…Heh, after coach Nidai and I put up the net for playin’ volleyball at the beach, I had an itchin’ to fight him, y’know!?” Akane explained with a grin, seeming to be unfazed by the continuous bleeding from her head.  Mikan waved her hand at Hikari, gesturing the Spirit Medium to grab some dishrags behind the counter.  Hikari wasted no time, running around the counter and grabbing the towels and wetting a couple of them before sprinting to the two girls.

“A-Are you really all right?  Your head…it looks like it’s split in half,” Ibuki said nervously, staring at Akane’s head.

“Well, it’ll heal as long as I rub some spit in it, right…?”

“You’re totally playing up the power of human spit!” Kazuichi exclaimed as Mikan and Hikari dragged Akane to a booth, making the carefree girl sit as Mikan tended to the injury.

“Hehe…I’m all fired up now…I never knew such a strong opponent even existed…!” Akane said excitedly, squirming around a little.

“A-Anyway, you need to be treated!  P-Please sit still…!  You also need your wounds sterilized…Please come with me, Owari!”  Mikan ordered, seeing that it might be better to aid Akane in the bathroom so that no one else would touch the blood.  “Seishin, can you please clean up the blood here?”  The Nurse didn’t wait for Hikari’s answer as she pulled Akane towards the bathroom, shutting the door behind them.

“Um…okay…” Hikari said slowly, amazed that Mikan can be assertive when she wanted to.  The Spirit Medium took the clean wet dishrags and wiped down anything that had blood on it, being careful not to touch the blood herself.

Kazuichi laughed nervously.  “That’s why she’s the SHSL Nurse…Well, it’s gonna be okay if we leave it to her…”

“…What is all this ruckus?” a velvety feminine voice entered everyone’s ears.

“…Oh?  Who is it this time?” Kazuichi asked eagerly, getting excited.  Hikari looked up from cleaning the booth seat of blood to find that Peko came in, wearing a black bikini which accentuated her toned body.  Hikari almost didn’t recognize Peko because her hair was down, her straight silver hair reaching mid-back.  The Swordswoman was also completely soaked from head to toe, panting slightly as if she just finished exercising.

“…Hm?” Peko hummed, tying the sheath for her bamboo sword on her back.   She blinked at the two boys present.  “Hinata and Souda…Why are you two here?”

“Hey…” Kazuichi asked, a bit concerned.  “Aren’t you breathing pretty heavily?”

“…I just did a little swimming.  I swam around the island for about three hours.”

Hikari picked up the contaminated rags to throw them away behind the counter as the teens there reacted with surprise.  _Now it makes sense as to why she’s drenched…She really must like swimming to be able to swim for that long._

“Why were you already swimming!?  You guys are about to swim now, right!?  Isn’t that why you’re all meeting up!?”

Peko closed her eyes.  “It wasn’t for my enjoyment…I was trying to see if I could swim to a different island.”

“…Huh!?” Hajime’s jaw dropped, shocked.

“But I couldn’t find any other islands.  It seems it may be difficult to leave this island by swimming…”

“If you didn’t see anything after you swam for three hours…  It’s more than difficult, it’s impossible…”

“Yeah, that may be true...”

Hikari walked to the back of the diner where there was garbage bins outside the rear door.  She tossed the rags in and stopped once she closed the door, realizing something suspicious.  _Wait a minute…What did Souda ask Pekoyama?  How would he know that we were all meeting up…?_   The Spirit Medium suddenly looked very annoyed.  _That pervert must have eavesdropped or something…_   She walked back quietly to the dining area.

Kazuichi grinned toothily at Hajime, his back to Hikari as she approached with a menacing aura around her.  “Anyway, it looks like everyone is almost here…and it’s already past 4:00 p.m….If so, all that’s left is…”  Hajime smiled weakly at his friend before looking back, sensing peril.  The plain boy’s smile quickly faded and took a few steps away from the Mechanic.  Kazuichi looked at Hajime, puzzled by his sudden behavior, opening his mouth to ask him about it until he felt a hand on his shoulder.

“Souda…”  Kazuichi froze when he heard Hikari behind him in an accusing tone, now realizing that he was in potential danger.  Very slowly he turned his head to the right to see Hikari on her knees on top of the counter to compensate her height and to look more intimidating.  “How did you know about the meetup?  I believe only the girls knew about it…” Hikari said slowly, her eyes had a dangerous gleam behind her glasses before the light’s glare hit the lenses, her lips twitching as she smiled at him.

Ibuki gasped, her eyes gleaming in delight.  “Wow!  Seishin looks like a sexy yandere posing like that!  She should get angry more often~!”

Kazuichi let out a choked up screech, looking at the Spirit Medium with fear evident in his eyes.  “U-Uh…W-Well…Funny thing, you see…” he stuttered as Hikari grabbed him by the collar.

“Ah, I am terribly sorry for the delay,” another feminine rang out from the diner’s entrance.  The panicked Mechanic screamed again, twirling around to stare at Sonia. 

“Waaaaaaaaah!  Sonia-san’s here!  All right!  What kind of sexy swimsuit is Sonia-san wearing!?”

Consequentially, Kazuichi forgot Hikari was holding onto him which led to Hikari falling from her perch on the counter, letting go of him.  She scrunched her face, expecting to feel tile and pain.  When that never came, Hikari blinked and noticed that she was staring at the floor, her glasses fallen to the end of her nose, feeling herself held up by the waist.  The grateful girl glanced back to thank whoever saved her from a busted up face before she froze, not sure it was possible to go pale and turn red at the same time, feeling her heart skip beats.

Hajime sighed in relief, happy that another friend wouldn’t have to go see Mikan for medical reasons so soon.  He looked down to see Hikari staring at him, watching her face go from a pale white to a fiery red all in the span of five seconds.  He blinked, confused before he found the reason why she was so embarrassed: by holding her waist to prevent the fall, Hajime’s arm slid her mid-thigh length skirt to her waist, exposing the bottom half of her bikini.  Seeing this, the boy’s face turned a deep red, his eyes wide and immediately dropped the girl out of shock, making her land on the tiled floor with a yelp.

“Gyaaah!  It’s a wetsuit!” Kazuichi wailed, oblivious to his surroundings.  Hikari placed her glasses back on her face and slowly got up, hoping Sonia’s entrance distracted the other girls too.  She eyed Hajime quickly to see if he was looking at her, but his eyes focused on the Princess in a black and pink wetsuit, his cheeks still having a red hue to them.

 _That was real embarrassing…_ Hikari bemoaned mentally, wishing that they could just go to the beach already.

“It is to prevent sunburn.  I do not want my skin to be sun damaged,” Sonia explained the reasoning behind wearing a wetsuit as to wearing a bikini.  “However, as I have never worn a wetsuit before, I had a hard time putting it on, which resulted in my delay.  …Really, it is my bad.”

After the crushing blow to Kazuichi’s dreams of seeing Sonia in a sexy swimsuit, he came to terms with reality.  “I see…A wetsuit…  Well, Sonia-san does have beautiful, white skin…But that tight outfit of hers is amaaazing!  Just what I’d expect from a 100% purebred princess!”  Hajime and Hikari sweatdropped at the Mechanic’s fast recovery.

Sonia smiled at the two boys.  “Um…anyway, why are you two here?”

Ibuki grinned and jumped towards the Princess impishly.  “Heehee…Yandere Seishin was asking Souda the same thi-”  Before the Musician could finish, Hikari quickly stepped to her and squished the punk-looking girl’s cheeks, laughing nervously.

“…I’ll answer that, Sonia-san,” Kazuichi offered, itching his cheek.  Hikari gave the Mechanic a deadpan stare to which he ignored since all his attention was on the blonde.  “I’ll be honest: if you’re gonna go to the beach, please let us come with you!”

 _What the hell, Souda!?  That’s not even an explanation!_ Hikari glared at him, letting go of Ibuki who was still grinning as she rubbed her cheeks.

Sonia smiled sheepishly.  “Well…this was originally supposed to be a girls-only outing to strengthen our friendship with each other…”

The desperate boy moved toward Sonia, on the verge of begging on his knees.  “Do you think you can make an exception!?  Pretty please!?”

Chiaki blinked with a blank expression.  “Well, it’s okay.  It’s not like there’d be any problems even if there are some boys.”

“You are right,” Sonia agreed.  “They came all the way here.  It would be bad if we made them leave.”  Kazuichi smiled wide and gasped in glee.

“Ack, Sonia-san is just soooo kind…!  All right, now that it’s decided, let’s get going!”  Hikari crossed her arms, getting annoyed by Kazuichi’s tunnel-vision of just Sonia.

_Your obsession with Nevermind is really creeping her out and starting to irritate me, Souda…I wouldn’t feel bad making you leave…_

Hajime blinked, turning to his friend.  “But Owari’s wounds are still being treated…”

“Shut up!  Shut up!” Kazuichi growled at Hajime with an agitated face.  “There’s no way I can stand around!  I-I’ll go on ahead and prepare!  I’ll set up the parasol, and prepare the drinks…  I mean it, I promise I’ll give it my all to serve you so everyone has fun!”  With that, he dashed out of the diner like a jet leaving the runway.

Hikari blinked, relaxing a bit, seeing that Kazuichi wasn’t so bad.  _He may be annoying and borderline creepy at times…but he redeems himself when given the chance…I guess I can let his perverted scheme slide for now…_

Hajime looked around and sweatdropped, pulling at his collar a little, seeing that he was surrounded by girls and most of them wearing swimsuits.  “I-I…I should go help Souda too…”  He sped walked out the door, trying to calm himself down.

Not even a minute went by before four dings could be heard throughout the island.  Everyone in the diner became immobile, feeling a heavy atmosphere threatening to crush them where they stood.  Their eyes turned to the monitor in the corner of the dining area’s ceiling as it turned itself on.

“A body has been discovered!” Monokuma’s mocking words felt like daggers piercing into Hikari’s heart.  “Now then, after a certain amount of time has passed, the class trial will begin!”  Hikari didn’t comprehend that she had already dashed to the door in the middle of the announcement, panting heavily as the sinking feeling got worse as she ran as fast as she could toward the beach house.

 _Please…Please…!  Don’t let it be him…I don’t think I can bear it if it’s him…!_ Tears stung her eyes as she ignored her body’s pleas to stop as she almost collided with the back door of the beach house.  Panic filled every fiber in her body as she tried to open the door in vain.  Not wanting to waste any more time, Hikari sprinted around to the other side of the building as if being led by an invisible hand.  _Let it be open…Let it be open or at least be unlocked!_   When she approached the front of the structure, both French doors were open wide, revealing the bloody scene to the world outside.

On the floor was a steel bat coated with blood, a pristine anime girl’s mask nearby, a trail of blood from the center of the room to the back door and leaning against that door and surrounded by a pool of blood was the body of a deathly pale Koizumi Mahiru.  Hajime stood to the side, looking like he was going to collapse, a hand on the wall to keep himself upright.  Hikari took one shaky step before falling to her knees, her heart about to explode from the combination of the sudden rush over here and the shock of seeing one of her first friends here dead in front of her.

Kazuichi stood in the middle of the room, freaking out, his eyes bulging out.  “Why did something like this happen!?  Someone, tell me!”  Neither Hajime nor Hikari could give him an answer.  Hikari gripped the fabric of her suspender dress tightly, feeling the air knocked out of her, trying to catch her breath.

“…Huh?” Hikari heard a voice behind her.  “U-Um…A blub-blub-blub….”

_One of the girls probably followed me here…_

“N-Now’s not the time to make bubbles!” Kazuichi screamed at the girl behind the stunned Spirit Medium.  “Hurry and get the others!”  The girl must have left because Hikari couldn’t sense a presence behind her anymore.  In fact, she barely felt much at that moment.  She suspected Hajime was the same because she didn’t hear anything from him as Kazuichi paced around the room frantically, gripping his beanie nervously.

After what seemed like hours, Hikari heard many voices by the beach house entrance.

“Wh-What the hell is this!?” shouted Akane.

“Eeeeeek!” shrieked Mikan, taken aback.  “Wh-Why…Koizumi!?”

Sonia clasped her hands together, looking terrified.  “F-For heaven’s sake, what in the world is going on…!?”

“…Ah, hold on a sec!” Chiaki warned the girls before they could enter the building.  “Those things beneath you…be careful not to step on them.”  Hearing Chiaki’s voice calmed Hikari down for some reason, slowly bringing the traumatized girl to her senses.  Hikari turned slightly to the right to see what Chiaki was talking about.  She noticed that all of the girls had changed back into their regular clothes.

“…Beneath?” the Swordswoman asked.

“You know, the footprints in front of that door,” Chiaki explained matter-of-factly, raising a finger in the air.  She squatted in front of the double doors and pointed at a particular set of footprints.  “There are footprints leading out of the beach house, right?  That’s probably an important clue.  So, don’t step on them.”

Hikari blinked, confused.  _Leading out…?  That does sound important…It couldn’t be Souda, Hinata, or me…we didn’t leave._

Sonia gasped.  “H-Huh!?  I-If you mean evidence…”

Chiaki stood up and frowned, looking serious.  “Monokuma mentioned it in the announcement, right?  After a certain amount of time, we’ll hold a class trial…”

Hikari wore a pained face at the mention of a class trial.  _We have to do that…again…?_

“Then…are you saying this is…?” Akane asked slowly, looking shocked.

“Thaaaaat’s right!” Monokuma declared, popping up out of nowhere.  “One of you guys killed her!”

“K-Killed…that’s impossible!” Mikan cried out, her body shaking.

Kazuichi was equally unnerved, a hand still gripping his beanie.  “I-It’s not…like, an a-accident or something?”

Hikari’s eyes swept over the floor, staring at the bloody bat and trail of blood.  _No…this wasn’t an accident…this was intentional…I haven’t seen a bat around when I was here yesterday with Hajime...Someone must’ve brought it here for murder…_

Monokuma tilted his head to the side, a paw on his chin.  “If you guys think this is an accident, that still means this death was caused by someone else’s actions, right~?”  He turned to the side, raising his black paw in the air, a sinister aura forming around him.  “That also counts as…a legitimate murder.  Though such deaths fall into a grey area, on this island, I will make sure that it’s clear to you guys…On this island, dying from sickness is basically the only death that’s not considered a murder.”  The bear giggled as he covered his mouth with his paws.  “Well, it’s impossible to get sick and die on this island.  Not when Monomi takes such good care of people.”  Quietly, Monomi arrived out of thin air as if hearing her name was her cue to appear before the group.  The depressed bunny’s ears drooped forward as tears formed in her eyes.  Monokuma chuckled, noticing Monomi showing up.  “…Oh, speaking of which.”  He stared at the stuffed rabbit expectantly, yet Monomi remained silent.  “There it is!  The silent treatment attack!  This is like the number one thing that hurts me!  Well fine!  I’m not gonna lose to your bashing!  I’ve decided to become a tough kid!”  Hikari stared at the suddenly downcast bear unconvinced that his feelings were hurt in the slightest.

Finally, Monomi covered her eyes with her paws, sobbing.  “Th-This…is the worst…  Once again…this horrible nightmare…  Another victim…and it’s all because of Monokuma…”

“Jeez!  It’s not my fault!” Monokuma countered innocently, his demeanor definitely brightened nonetheless.  “…Huh?  Then whose fault is it, you ask?”  He started to laugh maniacally, his paws on his belly.  “To find out, we hold the class trial!  Sooooo, let’s begin already!  No whining, just begin already.  Okaaaay, I shall pass out the Monokuma File #2.  This should start to feel familiar.”  The bear then proceeded to throw tablets at the teens present, Hikari glaring at the bear since he deliberately was aiming for their heads, catching hers with a bit of fumbling.  “Now then do your very best to investigate!  I’ll see you later at the class trial!”  Monokuma then magically disappeared.

“C-Class trial…Investigation…” Monomi bawled.  “This…is horrible…  It’s just…too horrible…”

“Th-Then you should’ve stopped the murder before it occurred!” Kazuichi shouted angrily at the distraught rabbit.  “Don’t you…have that kind of power!?”

“Th-That…I did have the power before he appeared…” Monomi sniffled, her paws clasped together.

“Even if she tried to stop it…” Chiaki interjected.  “Judging from Monokuma and Monomi’s relationship, there’s no doubt she’d get stopped herself.”

“Yes…Monokuma took everything away…including the Magic Stick…and the surveillance cameras…  The only thing I can rely on…are these ears…but they can only hear about three times that of a normal human…”

Peko crossed her arms.  “So basically, you have no idea what’s happening on this island in the first place…”

Monomi choked back a sob, looking even more downtrodden.  “…I’m just the worst…  A powerless rabbit like me…is the worst…”  With that, she shrank away into nothingness.

“Hey…now’s not the time to focus on somethin’ like that…More importantly…what should we do?” Akane asked everyone, the shock subsiding with trepidation taking over.  The group of teens stood there, unwilling to participate in the investigation, their spirits heavy with unease as well as sadness at the loss of their friend. 

Hikari frowned, clutching her necklace for comfort.  _I really don’t want to do this…I won’t be of much use anyway…_

Seeing everyone’s lowered morale, Hajime decided to try to urge them to keep moving on.  “I know everyone feels the same as I do.  But we can’t do anything else except do it…  A-And…There’s no way we can just ignore…the reason Koizumi was killed.”

Hikari bit her lip, frowning, looking at Mahiru’s body.  _Hinata’s right…  We have to do this…not just for our survival, but for Koizumi so that she can rest in peace…_

“Yeah,” Chiaki agreed, “the only thing we can do is investigate.  Cuz…we should never forgive that.  Killing…is something we should never forgive.”  Hikari nodded at her best friend, taking a deep breath and blinking away any incoming tears.  The Gamer continued, “The killer has their reasons…I understand that.  It was the same for Hanamura, too.  It’s really all Monokuma’s fault…I understand that, too.  But…even so…  We should never forgive…killing.”

Peko closed her eyes solemnly.  “Regardless, everyone is going to die if we don’t do it.  In order for us all to survive, we must do it.”

“Koizumi…probably wants us to do this, too,” Sonia whispered, still looking a bit shaken.  “She would want us to reveal the truth behind her death…”

“I-I understand…If everyone’s doing it, I will do it too, but…  B-But…please give me a little time…  Please give me time to calm myself down a little,” Mikan pleaded, eyes full of tears.  “Also…I will go and tell the others who aren’t here about this…”

Hajime blinked.  “You’re right…if all you heard was the announcement, you won’t know where the murder took place.”

“I-I shall…excuse myself…for now.”  Unable to hold back her tears, Mikan tried to wipe her eyes in vain as she left.

“Then…let’s begin,” Chiaki said in determination.  “Who killed Koizumi Mahiru…?  Why was she killed…?  We gotta find out and solve this already.”  Hajime and Hikari nodded, everyone starting their investigation.

The first thing many of them did was look through the Monokuma File that contained details concerning Mahiru’s death.  Hikari swiped her finger upwards on the tablet’s screen to show a black screen that had a full-body picture of Mahiru with the word “DEAD” on it.  Next to the Photographer’s picture was common information about her.  _The format is the same as the Monokuma File about Togami…_ Hikari mused as she read Mahiru’s info before moving onto the sparse details about her death.  _“The victim is Koizumi Mahiru.  Estimated time of death is around 3:00 p.m.”  3:00 p.m….Well, it couldn’t be Nanami or myself…we were on the first island, meeting up at Rocketpunch Market…_ Hikari let out a small sigh of relief, knowing that she had a solid alibi with Chiaki.  She definitely still felt on edge due to the accusations last trial.  Mahiru’s time of death gave Hikari some respite.  The Spirit Medium continued to read on.  _“The scene of the crime where the body was discovered is inside the beach house at Chandler Beach.”_  

Swiping upwards to the next screen showed a picture of a dead Mahiru leaning against the door, surrounded by blood.  A wave of nausea rocked Hikari’s body when she saw the picture despite being just a mere few feet away from the actual body.  Forcing the feeling down, Hikari read the bottom half of the screen showing an outline of Mahiru, the top of her head highlighted to show where the deadly wound was.  _“The cause of death is a single killing blow to the head with a blunt instrument.  There are no other conspicuous external injuries, and no traces of foreign substances such as drugs.”_   _That’s…a large head wound…_ Hikari thought, amazed that just one hit to the head can cause so much blood.  Putting away the Monokuma File, the Spirit Medium walked over to Mahiru’s body which Hajime was inspecting.

“Is this really…the energetic Koizumi I knew?” he murmured.  Hikari frowned.  A part of her was still in denial, still wishing Mahiru was just asleep, but Hikari knew.  She knew the signs of a dead body so well.  Mahiru’s pale skin was becoming grey, her eyes closed never to open again, the breath of life gone from the girl’s body.  Hikari could already feel her body shake from holding back sobs.  She continued to listen to Hajime talk to himself, not quite sure if he knew she was standing beside him.  “B-But…we don’t have time to wallow in sentiment.”  He closed his eyes tightly, trying to steel himself.  “There’s no way I can just stand here…!”  Hikari jumped slightly as Hajime slapped both his hands on his cheeks before opening his eyes again.  The boy tried taking in as many details pertaining to the body and around it as he could.  He stared at the door Mahiru was leaning against.  “Maybe Koizumi tried to run away when she was attacked…and tried to crawl to the door.”  He glanced between the trail of blood and the door, a hand on his chin, deep in thought.

Hikari narrowed her eyes, not quite convinced with Hajime’s theory.  She bit her bottom lip, feeling like there were a couple of things that would contradict his guess at what happened.  “Maybe, Hinata…maybe not…”

Hajime blinked and turned his head to see Hikari standing behind him as he was kneeling.  He raised an eyebrow.  “What do you mean?”

Hikari pointed towards Mahiru’s body.  “Just look at her position…if she was crawling to the door, why is her back against it?  Shouldn’t she look as if she was reaching to the doorknob?  Something’s a bit off…”

“Hmm…you might have a point, Seishin…” Hajime contemplated, inspecting Mahiru’s body and its surroundings once more.

“Plus,” Hikari added, taking out the Monokuma File from her pocket and swiping a couple of screens, “I remember reading something that might disprove your theory on crawling away…”  Her eyes quickly took in the words on the screen until she found what she wanted.  “Ah…Here it is…  ‘The cause of death is a single killing blow to the head with a blunt instrument.’  It was a killing blow…I don’t think Koizumi would have been able to move after being hit that hard…”  The girl bit her lip again, feeling another wave of tears coming to her eyes from imagining Mahiru’s death.

Hajime scanned the ground.  _A blunt instrument…_ he thought, before blinking at the metal bat near the origin of the blood trail.  “Huh…?  This metal bat…”

Hikari stepped closer to it.  “Yup…this is most likely the murder weapon…” she reasoned as Chiaki strolled over to them.

“It’s the same…as the Twilight Syndrome Murder Case,” Chiaki confirmed, raising a finger.  Hikari looked at her, sweatdropping.

_I had a feeling she couldn’t resist playing that…_

“…Huh?” Hajime asked, glancing at the Gamer.

“There’s a girl named Girl E who was killed in the game during the 4th day…” Chiaki explained which went right over Hikari’s head, who didn’t play the arcade game in the park.  “That girl…was killed with a blow from a metal bat, just like Koizumi.”  She stared at the tie-wearing teen.  “Hey hey…  Did you…did you also play that game, Hinata?  Is that why you’re curious about that metal bat?”

Hikari blinked, surprised, looking at both her close friends.  “Wait…what?  You both played the game?  I thought we all weren’t going to play it because it was a motive.”  She pouted slightly as the two resumed their conversation.

“Y-Yeah…that’s exactly it, but…” Hajime stuttered.  “Did you…play it too?”

Chiaki silently pulled her hood over her head, eyes looking downwards, both teens appearing to feel guilty for playing the game.  However, Chiaki spoke up softly, “Then I’m sure you know this but…  The case this time is strongly connected to Twilight Syndrome Murder Case…I think.”

Hikari gaped.  “Really?”  She suddenly felt left out, hoping she wasn’t the only one who didn’t play the game.

Chiaki continued, “In order to solve the mystery behind Koizumi’s death, you probably need to solve that game’s mystery too…”

“But even if you solve the game’s mystery…” Hajime argued, a hand on his hip.  “All the clues in it were lousy and useless.  I mean, it started ambiguously, and it was still ambiguous when it ended…”  Hikari swore that a gleam sparkled in Chiaki’s eyes when Hajime uttered those words because Chiaki suddenly looked at the boy challengingly, the hood sliding off her head.

“No, that’s wrong.  That’s because you haven’t beaten the game.”

“Beaten…?  I finished the game with a Game Over, but were you able to beat it?”  Hikari glowered slightly at Hajime.

“Why would you ask that of Nanami?  Of course she was able to beat it,” Hikari proudly boasted her friend’s talent, Hajime sweatdropping, a bit stunned from Hikari’s interjection.  Chiaki also looked unimpressed, puffing her cheeks out with a pout.

“Ngh…I’m not some girl gamer who talks about video games she’s never beaten…”  Hajime smiled weakly, his hands up defensively, sensing that he should drop the subject quickly.  An awkward silence loomed over the three, Chiaki going towards the door, Hajime looking into the closet, and Hikari walking back to the fallen Mahiru.  The Spirit Medium stood close to her deceased friend with a frown, gently touching the redhead’s cheek that was free from blood to make sure that she really had died.

 _I know it’ll be pointless…but I have this feeling…  Maybe…just maybe I can…_ Hikari thought with a bit of hope, moving back a few feet and kneeling down, sitting on her legs.  She slowly closed her eyes as she placed her hands on her lap, trying her best to communicate with Mahiru’s spirit.  The black-haired girl held back a sigh, sensing nothing at all. Memories Hikari had with the Photographer flashed through her mind, feeling a surge of overwhelming emotions washing over her body.  She bit her lip, a few heartbreaking memories from her childhood even rushed to the forefront, her body starting to tremble.  A hospital room…a pale girl laying in bed, smiling weakly towards her…holding onto an ice cold hand…  Hikari wasn’t sure how much time passed while she was lost in her memories, but a far-off voice started to pull her back to reality.

“Seishin…?  Are you all right…?”

When Hikari opened her eyes, she came face to face with a concerned Hajime who knelt on one knee in front of her.  Freezing up, Hikari felt her body temperature rise.  “H-Huh…?”

“You’re crying…” he whispered, looking to the left which was where Mahiru’s body was.  Hikari blinked, confused until she moved her fingers to her cheeks, feeling the cold liquid falling down her cheeks.

“O-Oh…” Hikari murmured, quickly wiping her eyes.  “I still couldn’t…”

“Hey…don’t worry about it…” Hajime said comfortingly with a small smile.  “You don’t have to-”

“Then I just remembered the times I spent with Koizumi…hanging out with the other girls…eating meals with her…” Hikari continued, tears welling up again, her lip trembling to hold back sobs.  “She understood how I felt a bit…she even gave me a picture I asked of her though she didn’t have to…she was my first official friend here…”  Hikari looked at the boy in front of her, fresh tears falling once again.  “We just have to help Koizumi rest in peace…We have to…”  Hajime stared back at the small statured teen solemnly before placing his hands on her shoulders.

“We will…or literally die trying, Seishin.  That’s a promise.”  Hikari smiled and choked out a laugh at Hajime’s poor attempt at a joke.

“Thank you, Hinata.”  Hajime stood up and held out his hand to her.  The Spirit Medium shyly reached out and took it, allowing the plain boy to help her stand.

“What is this…” both teens heard Chiaki mutter by the French doors.  “This is suspicious…I think.”  The two glanced at each other and walked to their spacey friend, Hikari a few steps behind Hajime, rubbing her eyes and recuperating from her mini meltdown.

“…Did you find some sort of clue?” Hajime asked.

Chiaki blinked and turned to them.  “You know the footprints from earlier.  They were in front of the entrance facing the beach, right?”

“Oh, that…”

“Hinata, Seishin, and Souda’s footprints show that you guys were the first ones to go inside the beach house…”  She pointed to another set of footprints in the sand outside the building.  “But these are just the opposite.  They’re coming out of the beach house.”

“Hey, now that you mention it…” Kazuichi said, walking up to the group of three, having heard the conversation close by, “I thought those footprints were strange too…”

Hajime looked at the Mechanic doubtfully.  “…You did?”

“At first, I tried to go into the beach house from the door facing the road…  But it didn’t open, so I went around and tried to go in from the beachside doors.”

Hikari blinked and nodded.  “Same here…”

“You couldn’t go inside from the roadside door…because Koizumi’s body was blocking it, right?” Hajime asked, a hand to his chin in thought.

“And that’s when I noticed those footprints,” Kazuichi said with a nod.  “The footprints leading from the beach house to the tunnel look like they belong to one person.”

“Someone’s footprints leading out of the beach house, huh…  That’s definitely suspicious.”

The Mechanic gritted his teeth, looking a bit agitated.  “Now that you mention it, Pekoyama said she went for a little swim, right?  Could those footprints be…”

“Unfortunately, I went swimming to scout the first beach,” Peko informed them, standing off to the side, arms crossed.  “I do not know anything about this beach.”

Hikari blinked, a bit surprised to see Peko here.  _Oh wait…she must be one of those who volunteered to guard the crime scene._   The Spirit Medium gave a deadpan stare towards the pink-haired male as he eyed the Swordswoman distrustfully.  _Why does he always insinuate that Pekoyama is guilty of some murder…?  He accused her last time, didn’t he?_

“But those footprints lead straight from the beach house to the tunnel,” Chiaki pointed out.

Peko closed her eyes.  “Since I was swimming at the beach, of course my footprints would lead from the shore to the tunnel.”  Hikari blinked, glancing at Peko quietly for a moment as the others wondered whose footprints were those leaving the building.

_Something’s off about what Pekoyama just said…but I think I need more information before I start accusing people…_

“Well, for now…It’s obvious that this is a clue…don’t you think?” Chiaki asked.  Those around her nodded in agreement, making sure to take note of the mysterious footprints.  After a few moments, Hajime turned to Chiaki.

“Hey Nanami.  I have something I want to ask you…are you okay right now?”  If Hikari was an animal, her ears would’ve perked up in alert.

 _What does he mean by that?  What does he want to ask her?  Does he like her!?_ the calm looking girl thought desperately in her head, feeling her insides constrict with anxiety.

Chiaki tilted her head.  “…Are you done investigating here already?”

“…Huh?” Hajime blinked.  “I think I’ve investigated once through…”

“…Then let’s go.”

“G-Go?”

“You want to know about Twilight Syndrome, right?  Then I think you should actually play it yourself.”

“I-I’ll go too!” Hikari blurted loudly, feeling very tense.  Chiaki and Hajime stared at her a bit confused.

“Did you play the game too?” Hajime asked.

Hikari stood there in silence, blinking a couple of times before the embarrassment finally told a hold of her.  _Oh gods…  They were talking about playing the game huh…  That’s what I get for assuming, Hikari…_   “U-Um…I haven’t played the game…but…I think going with you two might help me understand the mysteries a bit since Koizumi’s death seems connected to the game…” Hikari rambled quickly, trying to recover from her self-humiliation.

Chiaki nodded.  “Sure, Seishin.  Sooo…let’s go!”  With that, the three left the beach house to Jabberwock Park at the central island, Chiaki seeming to be a bit excited.  However, they never expected to come across what awaited them inside the park.

Days Left: 15

Survivors: 14


End file.
